{"id":138470,"date":"2021-09-11T12:26:23","date_gmt":"2021-09-11T12:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=138470"},"modified":"2021-09-11T12:26:23","modified_gmt":"2021-09-11T12:26:23","slug":"mouldy-flat-without-hot-water-making-kids-ill-with-smokers-cough-says-mum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/mouldy-flat-without-hot-water-making-kids-ill-with-smokers-cough-says-mum\/","title":{"rendered":"Mouldy flat without hot water making kids ill with \u2018smoker\u2019s cough\u2019, says mum"},"content":{"rendered":"

A single mum claims her flat hasn\u2019t had hot water or heating in "weeks" and that the mould is making her children ill \u2013 with one now suffering from a "smoker\u2019s cough". <\/p>\n

Melanie Knowles-Morgan, 21, and her two children moved into the Kings Heath council flat in Birmingham nine months ago, with the mum describing the living conditions as \u201cunsuitable\u201d. <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

She told Birmingham Live that her youngest, aged just eight months old, developed a \u201csmoker\u2019s cough\u201d from the black mould and damp inside the apartment. <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

She said: "My children are coughing all the time and I know it's because of the mould. My youngest's is particularly bad. It's like a smoker's cough."<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

There is also currently no heating at the two-bedroom flat, confirmed by the city council, who have arranged to rip out old pipes and radiators to fix the issue over three days of repairs.<\/p>\n

"I have been without hot water and had no heating for weeks despite having children aged eight months and two years old", said an emotional Melanie, who says her mental health is at an all-time low. <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

"The council told me to move all of my furniture out of the way during these three days, whilst the repairs are being done.<\/p>\n

"But I don't have anywhere I can go. I don't have close family and I'm not going to take my ill children to the park for nine hours each day. <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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"One of my children has autism and cannot be here whilst they are drilling holes and making loud noises as it will really frighten him." <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

The 21-year-old also claims she doesn't have enough money to stay in a hotel.<\/p>\n

She said the council asked her to move appliances into a cupboard full of black mould and damp, as the current fridge space is the only suitable location for a new boiler.<\/p>\n

"I cannot do this," she said, "my children are already constantly coughing. <\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n