A Bristol mother living in a damp council house fears for her family's health this winter, after an outbreak of mould she claims caused a serious chest infection left her son struggling to breathe.
A Mother's Winter Fear
Tracy Manley, 59, has rented her semi-detached home from Bristol City Council for 27 years. She first noticed problems with damp around three years ago, beginning with moisture around the windows before discovering items in her son's bedroom airing cupboard were becoming damp.
The situation escalated last winter when, after stripping bedding, her 31-year-old son became seriously ill. "He couldn't walk across the living room without stopping for breath," Ms Manley told The Independent. "It was a serious chest infection and it was really bad." Her son required a ten-day course of antibiotics after doctors identified a rattling in his chest and breathing difficulties.
Ms Manley, who is unemployed and receives Personal Independence Payments (PIP), believes disturbing the mould during cleaning triggered the health crisis. "You were disturbing the mould and then breathing in that disturbance. It was a bit scary," she said.
An Ongoing Battle with Health at Stake
Photographs from last winter show patches of mould on windows, ceilings, and inside the airing cupboard. Despite using chemicals, dehumidifiers, and increased ventilation, the problem persistently returned. "It seems to be an ongoing thing in the older houses," Ms Manley explained.
The health risks were compounded by Ms Manley's own circumstances. She was diagnosed with throat cancer last year and was undergoing chemotherapy, which left her with a low immune system. "I was worried about my own health and it took a mental toll," she admitted, describing the situation as draining on her mental health.
She says the council has responded to requests, patching up mould, but she believes this hasn't addressed the root cause of the dampness, which is also present in her kitchen. "I'm worried about my son's chest problem coming back this winter, as well as my own health," she said, expressing anxiety that cleaning might again disturb spores into the air.
A Widespread National Issue
Ms Manley's plight is far from isolated. New research commissioned by the campaign group Health Equals reveals that 28 per cent of people in the UK report living in homes with issues like damp, mould, or cold.
The study highlights severe health implications:
- A quarter of those in cold homes report respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing, flu, or pneumonia.
- More than a third report mental health impacts, including depression and anxiety.
Overall, the group warns that more than eight million people in the UK live in cold homes.
Council Response and Ongoing Concerns
Councillor Barry Parsons, chair of Bristol City Council's homes and housing delivery committee, stated: "Our priority is to ensure all council homes are safe, warm, well-maintained, and meet the standards required of us as a social landlord."
He pointed to improvements since the council's self-referral to the Regulator of Social Housing, noting a significant fall in open damp and mould cases since August 2025. "Every report of damp or mould is taken seriously and responded to within 10 working days," he added, encouraging tenants to come forward.
The Independent understands that council officers visited Ms Manley's property last week to inspect and treat the problems. However, with winter setting in, Tracy Manley remains in a state of anxious vigilance, dreading a repeat of last year's health emergency.
