An Aberdeen war veteran has hit out at the council for allowing his young family to live in a “health hazard” home.
Paul Banks says he has battled with mould in his two-bedroom house at Kincorth’s Deevale Gardens for the past 10 years.
The Iraq veteran explained that the walls of the bedroom in which three of their children sleep are covered in black mould, while toxic fungi is also present in the living room and bathroom.
The 37-year-old said the problem has led to electricity hazards in the property.
Mould is so spread out in the children’s bedroom that there is a cupboard they have never been able to use.
The issue has also made the family lose thousands of pounds.
The family man explained: “We’ve wasted hundreds, if not thousands flooring the children’s bedroom only for mould to rip through the carpets, curtains, and other items to tragically touch it.”
Mr Banks also explained that the mould nightmare is impacting his family’s mental health.
Aberdeen family living in a council home full of black mould
He said: “This ongoing situation has caused us a lot of stress and anxiety.”
It also makes him sad the fact that their sons Connor, 10, Joey, 4, and Grayson, 2, and daughter Amy-Leigh, 13, are not growing up in a nice home.
The proud dad said: “The kids cannot invite people over to their bedroom and we cannot decorate their room.”
“The most upsetting part for us is the fact that we are dying to sort our children’s room so they have somewhere nice, comfortable and warm to relax and enjoy their childhood.”
The 37-year-old says that his repeated pleas to Aberdeen City Council to fix the problem have fallen on deaf ears – and that the problem is only getting worse.
“We are currently six people living in one-and-a-half bedrooms as half of the children’s bedrooms cannot be accessed,” Mr Banks said.
“We’ve been trying to get the issue sorted out since we moved in, but the council is not doing its job.”
Mr Banks claims that the local authority keep on sending people out to simply paint over the mould.
He claims this has been going on for the past five years despite inspectors agreeing that the issue needs fixed.
The last visit was on February 9 when officials agreed that it was necessary to remove and rebuild the wall.
So Mr Banks could not believe it when workers returned to the property on Monday to just paint the wall once again.
Painting does not fix black mould
The angry father told The P&J: “They told me that the council never agreed to do that job and that this was something they never do.
“For 10 years, they keep painting the walls but that’s not going to fix it as the mould keeps coming back.
“I get they’re probably trying to save money, but the more they keep repairing it without doing the proper work, the worst is going to get – and the more money is going to cost them.”
Mr Banks said he received a visit from inspectors yesterday after he told the local authority he had contacted The P&J.
“It seems to me that they are not doing their job properly – they are not looking after their tenants and only after a threat they are willing to help people out,” he said.
“My next-door neighbour had the same problem, and she still has mould too – it is a big problem.”
He added that the council could not confirm today an estimated date for the works to be undertaken.
‘All we want is a home’
Mr Banks explained that the mould problem has also led to electricity hazards in the property.
“When you try to plug a device into the wall, there is electric shooting from the wall socket to the plug.
Mr Banks hopes the council will fix the problem and inspire other people living with the same issue to speak out.
He concluded: “I fought for my country; all I ask is for me and my family to live in a safe house.
“All we want is a home.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “We are liaising directly with our tenant.”
