Housing issue for son

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

So sorry, life, Josh, environmental health and doctors seem to have taken over my life for the past 48 hours.

To cut a long story short we spoke to a lovely man at Wakefield Council on Monday who is going out to check the whole flat on Friday - he is concerned as he cannot understand why there is mold on a bedroom ceiling of a ground floor flat - he explained to me that damp and mold would normally form on the coldest part of a building so around windows or an outside wall, all of which the flat have and none of which have any signs of mold! He also highlighted that Josh's symptoms are very similar to carbon monoxide poisoning. I was under the illusion that if you had a carbon monoxide leak you went to sleep and didn't wake up but he said that sometimes if it is just seeping into an environment the levels build up in a body and the symptoms build up! He is also going to check this on Friday - We did get them a detector a few weeks ago when Josh started with headaches but he said it could be such a low level it isn't picking it up but it could be building up in their bodies. He has a very sensitive detector he will take around.

To be honest I got so upset by yesterday afternoon I broke all rules of etiquette and I telephoned our family doctor at home (he was Josh's football coach so I had his home number). He confirmed that carbon monoxide can "build up" in the body overtime and recommended that we get his doctor to test for both carbon monoxide and toxic mold. During our conversation he explained that as Josh had a low tolerance as he was growing up to certain things (when he was allergic he was always very allergic no mild symptoms for my boy! so much so that as a teenager he could not leave the house in the summer months without wrap around sunglasses due to his hay fever, he even had special dispensation to play football in them!). Nigel, the doctor, was very concerned - he said if Josh was seeing him then he would definitely test for toxic mold, carbon monoxide and also for glandular fever as the confusion, headaches and exhaustion are also symptoms of this if it is untreated. The fact that his symptoms improve after leaving the environment however, meant he was more concerned that it was the first two.

Anyway Josh got an appointment today for his doctor in Wakefield - it was an emergency one and it was not "his doctor". He was due to receive the results of the extensive blood tests he had last week anyway today but would normally have received them by phone. Anyway, obviously they had not tested for the toxic mold or carbon monoxide but his liver function test has come back and is concerning! They have taken more bloods today and he has another appointment with his own doctor tomorrow morning at 9.40 am. Damage to the liver is a symptom of all the conditions that are concerning us so we are none the wiser yet!

They spent Sunday night in a hotel but against our advice returned to the flat yesterday! They have blocked off the bedroom door with the window open and opened all the windows in the lounge, they are sleeping on an airbed and have bought a new quilt so nothing from the bedroom is with them... I am worried to death to be honest but I cannot force them to leave.

So we are really no further forward other than we have the environmental health people coming out on Friday and more tests and a discussion with his doctor tomorrow who will hopefully talk him into moving out until it is sorted...

The environmental man did say he would help us get them out of their lease if the doctor supported our suspicions that the flat was causing his health problems.

Thanks again for your help, I promise to up date when we know more.

Jane x

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

We will phone environmental health first thing tomorrow

And?

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

Thanks again PlanB it terrifies me to be honest! Trying to convince them they need to book a hotel in Wakefield tonight

I am also thinking they should go to A&E and explain the situation. He was taken there a couple of days ago when he passed out in work but then he was presenting with this throat issue. They checked he didn't have an ear infection and said he would have to wait to see the ENT specialist. He hasn't mentioned the mold issues to anyone medical as he just thought it was throat related.

Jane x

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Housing issue for son

You're right of course. There was me thinking that all Landlords are honest like me, but maybe I'm a rarity

Or maybe that you treat others how you'd like to be treated. Can't argue with that. Fair play

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Housing issue for son

That tutorial is very helpful Elsa, but I fear you're wasting your time with this mission

Both Niddy and IF have spent years (literally) trying to teach me how use a computer to no avail But I'll give it a go tonight when nobody's watching me

To test such things where only you & I would see; go to the upload your agreement section and create a "your_username tester thread". I know then to ignore it, nobody other than you & I can see it and its good to practice things in.

Feel free - this applies to all users. It's the only place on the whole forum where the content is locked to the user that creates the thread and me. No mods or site team can see the content either.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Housing issue for son

Hey less of the young!

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

Would it be better to wait till you've spoken to Environmental Health and they've inspected before warning the Landlord, so he doesn't bleach the evidence?

So young yet so cynical

You're right of course. There was me thinking that all Landlords are honest like me, but maybe I'm a rarity

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

Thanks PlanB

To upload a pdf...first download it onto your desktop, then click Go Advanced next to reply. Scroll down and click Manage Attachment. Top right of the box that comes up click Add Files. Bottom of the next box that comes up click Select Files. This takes you to your computer, go to desktop (or wherever it's saved) and click the pdf to select it. It will appear in the box. Then click Upload Files. Once uploaded click either Insert Inline (If you want it in a particular place in the text) or Done to have it at the bottom of the post. Try it now to practice if you want and shout if you need help .
Once you've uploaded something once it will stay in your attachments on your profile so you can quickly add it again by clicking Manage Attachments.

That tutorial is very helpful Elsa, but I fear you're wasting your time with this mission

Both Niddy and IF have spent years (literally) trying to teach me how use a computer to no avail But I'll give it a go tonight when nobody's watching me

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Housing issue for son

Would it be better to wait till you've spoken to Environmental Health and they've inspected before warning the Landlord, so he doesn't bleach the evidence?

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

Just in case you're feeling hesitant to move your son out of the flat read this story of two Hollywood stars who were killed by mould poisoning this year. I don't want to alarm you but speaking as one very neurotic fussy mum to another I'd say it's better to be safe than sorry. Get them out of there while everything is being checked out, and then move them back in afterwards if it's a false alarm. I'd be inclined to withhold rent for the period while the health checks are taking place. Put that in your letter to the Landlord.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...A-mansion.html

[tastyjane]

Re: Housing issue for son

PlanB, thank you so much - I know its not conclusive yet but all the pennies have dropped with regards to his health.....

We will phone environmental health first thing tomorrow and speak to the letting agents to warn them... I just want him out of there now.

Jane x

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Housing issue for son

Thanks PlanB

To upload a pdf...first download it onto your desktop, then click Go Advanced next to reply. Scroll down and click Manage Attachment. Top right of the box that comes up click Add Files. Bottom of the next box that comes up click Select Files. This takes you to your computer, go to desktop (or wherever it's saved) and click the pdf to select it. It will appear in the box. Then click Upload Files. Once uploaded click either Insert Inline (If you want it in a particular place in the text) or Done to have it at the bottom of the post. Try it now to practice if you want and shout if you need help .
Once you've uploaded something once it will stay in your attachments on your profile so you can quickly add it again by clicking Manage Attachments.

[PlanB]

Re: Housing issue for son

You need planB. Send her a quick PM.

I've received a PM signed by "very neurotic fussy mum". Sorry but that name's taken

I would move my daughter out of the property until it gets a clean bill of health (if ever) from the Environmental Health officer. Contact your council's Health & Safety Team at 9 am tomorrow morning and tell them it's urgent and life threatening. They will send an inspector who will take samples of the mould and bring a prosecution against the Landlord if it is found to be poisonous.

Environmental Health can slap a notice on the property saying it's not habitable. No one pays rent on uninhabitable properties despite what it says in a tenancy agreement. In fact the tenancy agreement is your friend right now because it will set out the Landlord's obligations to keep the place safe etc. If he's breached the terms of the tenancy agreement then not only will you not have to pay rent, but you will sue the arse off him for it

Here's some info on your son's legal rights. In this link you will find a template letter to write to the Landlord. I would upload the PDF on here but I don't know how to do that

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_ad...e_safety/hhsrs

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Housing issue for son

Yellow Rain. God that brings back memories from O Level Geography/Physics !!!!!

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: Housing issue for son

Good grief! That's the toxin that was used as biological warfare (Yellow Rain).
It's a good job you were on the ball Jane! Poor lad.

Elsa x