Woman living in ‘disgusting’ Weston flat calls out landlords
Mould covers the walls of Tanyas Weston flat. Picture: MARK ATHERTON - Credit: Archant
A Weston-super-Mare woman is living in ‘squalor’ and has called on changes to be made to tackle rogue landlords.
Mould covers the walls of Tanya Chidgey's flat, in Sandford Road, where the smell has become 'unbearable' and the boiler is also faulty.
The floor in her kitchen is collapsing and wallpaper is peeling off around the flat due to the damp conditions.
Tanya is unable to work due to mental health problems and wants North Somerset Council to do more to help tenants.
She told the Mercury: "It is absolutely disgusting in here, the landlord is letting us live in squalor.
"I have to go to my friend's house to shower as mine is broken, the council should come out and view it, it is not fair and not right.
"When your mental and physical health is being affected you have to say enough is enough.
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"Lots of people do not have the courage to speak up against landlords like this.
"All I want is a place to call home, people should not have to be living like this."
In Weston town centre, around 44 per cent of property's are privately rented, 32 per cent of these are classed as non-decent and a further 18 per cent contain the most harmful of hazards such as unsafe appliances and extreme cold.
Tanya added: "My son was living here but can no longer cope as he has exams coming up, he couldn't stand living here any longer.
"My children come and visit and say 'how can I live in this place?, they get upset by it.
"My neighbours are all experiencing mental or physical health problems, one hasn't had a working boiler for two years.
"Everyone deserves the right to live in reasonable conditions."
A council spokesman said: "We received contact from the tenant in January and we requested photographs of the property.
"Despite a number of phone calls reminding the tenant to send them in she did not get back in touch. She contacted us again a couple of weeks ago and an officer will be in contact next week to investigate.
"Tenants can also report concerns about their landlord or letting agent's behaviour using our online form."
For more information, log on to www.n-somerset.gov.uk/roguelandlord