‘I barely see my little boy. It’s safer if he doesn’t live with me.’
A young mother, Maisie, from Oldham, is struggling with poor living conditions in her temporary accommodation, which she claims is damp, cold, and mouldy, affecting her five-year-old son Tommy's health. Despite complaints, she feels little has been done to address the issues, forcing her to keep Tommy away from the house for his safety.
A five-year-old boy’s collection of Hot Wheels cars sits untouched in a freezing, mould-ridden house in Oldham, as his mother keeps him away from the home she fears is making him sick.
Maisie, 26, and her son Tommy - whose names have been changed to protect their identities - have been living in temporary accommodation since their previous landlord increased their rent by nearly £400 monthly, from £600 to just under £1,000. After almost a year of bouncing between hotels and relatives’ sofas, the single mother thought her nightmare had ended when Oldham Council offered them a house.
“I had high hopes when I got here. It was finally a house for us,” Maisie said. “But straight away I knew things weren’t what I hoped them to be.”
The house burns through £60 worth of gas and electricity every 48 hours despite the cold, with visible breath sometimes hanging in the air even when wearing thick jackets. Maisie cannot switch providers as the contract sits with her housing provider, Cromwood Housing Group, not with her directly.
Videos show rainwater streaming down the bathroom window, while a bathroom leak sends water gushing down living room walls. Mould grows in kitchen cupboards and behind counters, while rat poison pellets lie scattered throughout the property. An unlocked door opens to a steep cellar staircase, forcing Maisie to maintain constant vigilance over her son.
“My little brother is asthmatic and I’ve seen him in some states,” Maisie said. “When we were younger we lived in a house that was quite big and damp and he ended up in hospital and nearly died. It was really nerve wracking and I’m scared that will happen to my son.”
Tommy now spends at least two days weekly at his grandmother’s house, sometimes staying there Monday through Friday while only seeing his mother on weekends. Asked how this separation feels, Maisie whispered: “Sh*t. It feels like he’s been taken away from me. And when he’s here, there’s nothing I can do to help him.”
Cromwood Housing Group claims four inspections found no evidence of damp or mould, stating the tenant confirmed satisfaction after each visit. Maisie disputes this, saying help has been “limited” despite multiple complaints to both Cromwood and her council housing officer. While maintenance staff filled a fist-sized hole between floor and wall that posed injury risk to Tommy, other issues remain marked “completed” after brief visits with no action taken.
Cllr Elaine Taylor, Cabinet Member for Decent Homes, said: “We are sorry to hear of this resident’s issues. An officer from our housing team will get in touch with her and the accommodation provider to look at any concerns she has and ask for them to be rectified.”
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