A SINGLE mum and her son have been plagued by chest infections caused by damp and mould amid 'soaking wet walls'. 

The woman, who asked not to be named for fear for her son’s safety, said her detached home on Mendip Way in Downley has had “non-stop” issues caused by water damage since she moved in in 2020, including in her bedroom. 

Living in the rental home owned by the housing company Twenty11 has been a nightmare and constant battle, she said.

She said: “I haven’t felt at ease in my home, and this is my first ever property that I’ve had with my first child.

“To me, I haven’t enjoyed this experience. I’ve actually hated every single moment of it. I’m not happy in my home, because it isn’t just water damage, there’s so many other issues that I’ve had and important repairs that have needed doing, but they’re just so slow in doing anything.”

She first reported water leaking through the walls around two and a half years ago, but works were not started until end of last year.

The problem got momentarily better last summer, before getting worse again when it rained, leading to mould spores growing from the soaked plaster and cracks, she explained.

Medical records seen by Bucks Free Press show the woman and her son have had a chest infection twice due to the conditions.

“I’m really struggling. We’ve both been given inhalers and antibiotics, however the doctor said this could lead to future respiratory problems, and I’d have to contact the nurse to get diagnosed because this could lead to asthma.

“And because it’s happened twice and we’re having to live in it and it’s taking forever for them to rectify the issue. I’m just sick of not being heard, and I’m more concerned for my son than I’m for my health.

“I’m fuming that this has affected my son now twice,” she said, while her four-year-old son could be heard coughing on the background.

She also slammed the “absolutely awful” level of communication between the company and their contractors.

On January 13, she had been booked for repair works she had waited for months.

She said: "And they’ve actually turned around and said they’re not coming today because there was a miscommunication.

“How can you tell your tenant that the work is booked in, but the contractor doesn’t know nothing about it?”

“What’s going wrong at your end?

“It’s frustrating because it’s happened more than once. I’m forever getting flung between different people, and then the contractors or technical officers come out to assess, and there’s a problem at their side.”

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Twenty11’s head of communications and brand Julie Gamble-Kempe said the company had worked “to resolve her damp and mould issue since the end of 2022 and our staff and contractor have visited several times.”

She said: “Repointing work has been carried out to the external walls of the home as this was thought to be the cause of the problem.

“At the beginning of the year we were made aware that some mould had returned to the main bedroom, so further investigation was carried out. We now plan to reseal the window frames and also undertake some minor roof repairs. We will also be carrying out further intrusive inspection of the cavity walls. All this work is due to be completed this week.

“We are saddened to hear this negative experience has impacted on her living in her first home but hope that once things are satisfactorily resolved she is able to enjoy being one of our tenants.”