A north-east mum has vowed she will never live in a house owned by Aberdeenshire Council again – after discovering hers was infested with black mould and giant slugs.
Kerry Powell moved into a flat owned by the local authority in Peterhead earlier this year with her two young daughters.
But within weeks, the law student was packing her bags amid fears for her family’s health.
Her youngest child, aged just two, began developing chest infections and Ms Powell’s own fibromyalgia began to flair. It was not until she began to move furniture, however, that she found the reason why.
Black mould had infested her mattress and taken over the wooden bed frame.
Ms Powell has since been living with her mum to avoid the house, on Forman Drive, which she has branded “unfit” to live in.
An inspection of the home later revealed slugs had been wriggling their way into the property from outside.
Last night, the 32-year-old said she had lost all faith in Aberdeenshire Council putting the home right.
She claimed carpets in the house had been ruined, and that the bed frame had collapsed in on itself because of the build-up of damp mould.
“In February, when I was moving the bed, I noticed all the wooden slats were covered in black mould,” she said.
“That night, we went to my mothers and moved out.”
Since moving out, a stressed Ms Powell has tried to find a new home through Aberdeen City Council, but has faced opposition from her local authority.
Her insurance company is also refusing to pay out, claiming that the damage was avoidable if the home had been made wind and water tight prior to moving in.
She said: “I will never go back into an Aberdeenshire Council house.”
Brian Watson, acting head of housing for the local authority, confirmed he was aware of Ms Powell’s situation.
He said: “As soon as we were aware of the issues, our asset management team arranged for a detailed inspection to be carried out when access could be gained.
“As a result of the inspection, we have arranged to have specific works carried out to the property and an investigation by a timber specialist company.”
