a day ago
'It took 10 years for the council to fix my mouldy flat - when it grew on my toothbrush'
Alysha Sayers has lived in her Dagenham council flat for a decade, alongside her husband, who has been there for nearly 30 years. About ten years ago, black mould began spreading in both bathrooms, but pleas for help were met with silence.
The problem first emerged in 2015, shortly after Barking and Dagenham Council had refurbished the building on Siviter Way. Alysha said: 'At first, we were excited about the renovations, but within months I noticed leaks in the ceiling. A contractor came to take pictures, but then… nothing happened.'
Over the years, the couple say they reported the mould repeatedly, but were met with denials. She said: 'Every time someone came, they'd say there were no previous records - but they could clearly see the leak.'
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It was only last year, after MyLondon reported her story, that the council promised action - including a dedicated officer, mould removal, and compensation. Alysha said: 'For a short time, they seemed outraged and did roof work, tested the radiators, and tried to find the leak.'
But communication soon dried up, with weeks or months passing without updates. Alysha said the fixes were often 'just painting over the mould,' which bled through within weeks.
She added: 'We'd go weeks or months without hearing anything unless we chased them. They'd say they'd fixed it, but we could still hear water running and the walls stayed damp.'
It was only two weeks ago that the council finally carried out full repairs, replacing rotten walls and re-skimmed surfaces. Alysha admitted they had to push hard.
She explained: 'When they came, they were just going to paint over it again. I had to fight for them to actually remove the mould, re-skim the walls, and replace the rotten framework.'
Now, the couple are relieved the problem appears resolved - but not thankful. Alysha said: 'I'm happy it's done, but I'm not grateful. It's taken 10 years for something that should've been simple, and black mould is dangerous to your health.'
The long battle had a heavy impact on her wellbeing. Alysha said: 'It's been stressful and depressing. We've avoided having people over because it was embarrassing, and we held off decorating in case the mould spread.'
Daily life was also affected. She added: 'We'd have to throw out toothbrushes because mould grew on them, and it got into grout, towels, even flannels. It just felt like the council didn't care.'
Despite the repairs, Alysha says they still haven't received the compensation they were promised, and she admits they are 'not hopeful.'
She also hasn't been given advice on preventing mould in the future. Alysha said: 'We keep the windows open all the time, but there's no proper ventilation. We're afraid it will just keep coming back.'
Looking back, Alysha believes the council only acted after she 'went to the papers.' She said: 'At first they were really involved, but then it felt like nothing was happening again.'
Even now, she has little faith that communication will be easy if there's any other issue in the flat. She said: 'If this took 10 years to fix, why would they bother with anything else?'
Alysha concluded: 'I still feel completely let down by the council. They ignored us for years, and even when they fixed it, it was only because we kept fighting.'
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