I’m forced to live in mouldy flat after funds went into fundraiser for dying sister – I have to throw food & clothes out
A WOMAN says her life is a "living nightmare" after losing her sister and being forced to live in a mould ridden home for 18 months.
Maryanne Smith says she was left almost destitute after ploughing all her money into a fundraiser for dying sister Megan Smith.
She is now stuck in her one-bedroom ground floor flat unable to move due to her dire financial situation.
The horror comes after heroic efforts to fundraise for Megan who died of bowel cancer in September last year.
Grieving Maryanne began to notice mould only a few months after moving into her Kidderminster flat in 2020.
She claims that the letting agent are not doing enough to get the mould out of the Worcestershire and it's making her life hell.
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Now the situation is so critical that she has been forced to throw away clothes and food - a horrific setback given her dire financial situation.
And following a heroic family fundraising effort for Megan - who sought treatment in America - Maryanne says her parents have been forced to sell their home.
She is now stuck and unable to leave the grim property and does not know what to do.
The 37-year-old told : "I don't want anyone else to go through what I'm going through.
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"Within a couple of months of living here I started to notice the mould. I think it's because of an old fashioned water boiler.
"But now the mould has wrecked absolutely everything."
Maryanne suffers from medical issues herself and is in and out of hospital having undergone a horrific "12 operations".
To make matters worse, grieving Maryanne is also suffering with her mental health.
She has been forced to give up work as a result.
But she is terrified the mould is making these problems worse and is pleading for a clean space to recover in and rebuild her life.
She said: "I've had multiple infections and been on strong antibiotics.
"I have to do my washing every other day at the local laundrette but it feels like no matter how much I clean everything still smells damp."
She says that G&T Properties have been out to her home many times but claims they're not taking the issue seriously.
Maryanne is now keeping all her belongings in storage boxes to try to keep the mould away but it has been an "absolute nightmare".
'ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE'
"I just need to get out of there," she pleaded.
A spokesperson for G&T Properties confirmed they had been out a number of times to address the issues of mould.
But they told Birmingham Live that the tenant has not been back in contact with them and has "refused access to the property".
A spokesman said: "At no point has the tenant advised of any maintenance issues at the property.
"We sent the tenant our mould prevention leaflets and video links and advised that they need to treat the mould daily with a bleach-based solution.
"The landlord advised they were happy for us to do a specialist mould treatment of Bactdet and Halophane.
"The tenant has made no contact with us whatsoever since this treatment was completed.
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"The tenant has never reported any further mould issues since the specialist mould treatment of Bactdet and Halophane.
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"The tenant is ignoring our communication and refusing us access to the property."
