Family's mouldy flat hell while housing association boss enjoys £3million pad

16 March 2024 , 18:04

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Jai Waller pictured with sons Zayn, 2, and one month old Vincent at their rented home (Image: Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

A family is living in a damp and mould-ridden flat while the boss of their housing association enjoys a £3million pad.

Jai Waller, 20, blames the mould for hospitalising son Zayn, two, for 12 hours with severe bronchiolitis and now fears for the health of son Vincent, born last month. It comes after a coroner ruled Awaab Ishak, two, died in 2020 in a flat in Rochdale, Gtr Manchester, due to exposure to black mould.

Jai’s flat is owned by The Guinness Partnership, one of the UK’s biggest social housing providers. Boss Catriona Simons, on £300,000 a year, has a five-bed pile in a London neighbourhood beloved of celebrities.

Jai and partner Crystal Randlesome, 22, moved into the newbuild block of flats in Emersons Green, South Glos, in September 2022 and pay £605 a month in rent. He said they found mould two months later and raised it with the housing association before that Christmas.

Jai and partner Crystal Randlesome pay £605 a month in rent (Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

Jai said broken heating was not fixed until January last year and they had to use an electric heater to keep the property warm. Jai said: “The damp is that bad, the paint is peeling off of the walls and ceiling. My message to Guinness is, if you’re not going to look after tenants, don’t house them.”

Mirror says it's time to End Housing Hell after the death of Awaab Ishak

Crystal said of Ms Simons’ home: “It makes me feel angry. No matter whether you live in a £3m house or council house we’re all human and have the same rights.”

Jai Waller, 20, blames the mould for hospitalising son Zayn, two, for 12 hours with severe bronchiolitis (Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)

The Guinness Partnership said: “We are sorry about the issues Ms Randlesome and Mr Waller have experienced.” The council and Guinness visited the property on Friday. Guinness said the couple previously refused an offer to install mechanical ventilation to tackle condensation. It also said it attended the day it was told of the heating issue in December 2022, leaving it in working order.

Simon Murphy