THE parents of a 17-month old toddler living in a mouldy housing association flat in Totnes say their home poses a health risk to their daughter.

Maya Ireson who lives in Jacks Close, Bridgetown with her partner Ryan Stonier and their daughter Evie says she was told by Teign Housing to open the windows to fix the problem, which started in September 2021.

Damp in the apartment has caused mould in every room, leaving her young daughter with a constant cough and other respiratory problems, says Maya.

Evie’s GP has called for the little girl to be rehomed “as a matter of urgency,” and her parents fear for the youngster’s health, particularly following the tragic death of Rochdale toddler Awaab Ishak, who died after prolonged exposure to black mould in his family’s flat in 2020.

In a letter, Evie’s GP, Dr Sally Sheppard of Catherine House Surgery, says the mould is having a “significant detrimental effect” on Evie’s physical and emotional health.

Teign Housing says “significant repair and building work” is needed at the block of flats, which was built by Baker Estates three years ago and is still under the constructor’s guarantee.

Baker’s says Teign Housing has not raised the issue with them, and it is “highly unlikely” the mould has appeared due to any construction or design faults.

Maya moved into the property in April 2021 when she was 10 months pregnant with Evie and five months later mould started appearing on the walls and windows.

She said: “The flat gets terrible mould during the colder months. Evie’s lung health has deteriorated now we’ve gone into the colder weather and we are so worried about her.

“She has been in and out of hospital over the last year with a chesty cough, infections and breathing difficulties. She is vomiting most nights due to excessive coughing.

“The mould that killed Awaab was in the bathroom and kitchen of the flat. We have mould in the kitchen, bathroom, hallway, living room and both bedrooms.

“This is such a serious situation and we dread to think anything could happen to Evie.

“The housing association dealing with the flat Awaab lived in said the mould was due to normal daily activities and lack of ventilation. This is exactly what Teign Housing is saying about us. We know for a fact it’s not.

“I have spoken to my ground floor neighbours in my building and they have said they also have mould like ours.

“We reported the mould to Teign Housing over a year ago and all they have done in a year is fit a new fan in our kitchen.

“They have a duty of care to provide adequate, appropriate and safe accommodation for my family. They are not doing this. We feel, at this point, that safeguarding Evie’s health is crucial, and no-one is listening.”

Maya added: “I struggle with severe anxiety and this is making me so nervous, that I am now taking antidepressants.”

In a letter to “whom it may concern,” concerning Evie’s health, Dr Sheppard wrote: “This little girl has a severe cough related to living in her current home. She is not sleeping well every night that she is at home and this is very poor for her learning, emotional and physical health.

“Please can something be done as a matter of urgency about the black mould in the flat, or alternatively for her to be rehoused as a matter of urgency.

“Please help this family.”

Totnes district councillor John Birch accused Teign Housing of “failing to address” the mould problem, and failing to install a ventilation unit recommended by a specialist surveyor last September.

He has requested the district council’s environmental health department instigate enforcement proceedings against Teign Housing and urged the developer, Baker Estates to “carefully examine the construction and design of its properties” to “avoid any future occurrence and incidents of this kind.”

Amanda Nicholls, director of customers and communities at Teign Housing, said: “The home Ms Ireson moved into was only built in 2019, so is covered by the constructor’s guarantee.

“We are working closely with Maya and other ground floor residents to ensure their very genuine concerns are addressed.

“Our actions taken include paying for independent surveyors and acting on their advice, installing new extractor fans, taking regular damp readings to ensure no additional growth and arranging and paying for the electricity for light-weight dehumidifiers.

“We have identified that significant repair and building work is needed at this block and are in conversation with residents about this.

In a statement, Baker Estates said: “The property referred to is owned by Teign Housing and has been under its management since August 2019.

“We have a longstanding relationship with Teign Housing who has not raised this matter with us. It is highly unlikely that mould has occurred as a result of construction detailing/ design and is generally the result of other factors.”