A slug-infested, damp-ridden flat given to a pregnant Kirkcaldy teenager has been branded “a disgrace” and “unfit for a dog to live in”.
Katie Walker, 19, is due to give birth in February and had hoped she’d now be settled in the Fife Council-provided flat on Glamis Court.
But entering the flat for the first time in November she was confronted with black mould growing on the walls and ceiling.
Severe dampness was also discovered throughout the flat, including what she had planned to be the baby’s bedroom.
Black mould and severe damp throughout Kirkcaldy flat
Rotten flooring in the kitchen also revealed a slug infestation.
In addition, cracks and crumbling plaster as well as dampness around plug sockets were also discovered.
The young mum-to-be has since been locked in a two-month stalemate with the local authority.
She insists the flat is unfit for human habitation.
Katie told The Courier: “I should be in and preparing for my baby boy to arrive but instead I’ve got the ongoing stress of dealing with a flat that isn’t fit to live in.
“The baby is due in seven weeks and council housing staff are telling me the flat is perfectly fine.
Fife Council home ‘not fit for dog to live in’
Kate’s mother Michelle Walker described the condition of the flat as “shameful”.
She added: “How can anyone seriously expect anyone to live in such a state, let alone bring a newborn baby here?
“The flat is not fit for a dog to live in.
“We painted the living room three times but damp is now showing through again.
“There’s black mould and peeling wallpaper yet council officers claim it’s not a problem.
“Worst of all we found slugs coming up from rotten floors in the kitchen.
“Council officers have dismissed our complaints and advised us to just keep heating on.”
Katie has now been forced to temporarily move back into her parents’ home.
However, that has left Michelle, a foster parent, with an added dilemma.
“I now have Katie back home living with us but there’s simply not enough room,” said Michelle.
“I foster children and have recently taken care of a baby.
Town’s MSP brands the flat ‘disgraceful’
“If the flat problems are not sorted out soon Katie will have to continue living with us.
“But that would mean having to hand back the foster child which would be truly awful.”
Kirkcaldy MSP, David Torrance, said the council shouldn’t be handing over houses in this condition.
“Expecting a pregnant woman to take on a flat in this state is disgraceful,” said the MSP.
“As a landlord, Fife Council has a responsibility to ensure their housing stock is in good repair and that their homes are fit for habitation.
“How anyone could hand over a flat in this condition is beyond imagination.
“Where once a right to refuse had more weight, council policy, and the critical housing shortage make refusing feel like a risky move.
“Council policy often leaves individuals feeling like they have no option but to accept a substandard property.
“No one should feel coerced into accepting the unacceptable for fear of being made homeless.”
Responding to the criticism, Elaine Campbell, Fife Council’s team manager for housing in the area said: “We’re sorry that Ms Walker feels the property is not up to standard.
“We are working with her to resolve these issues and taking appropriate action as quickly as possible.”
Conversation