Ex-soldier forced to live in mouldy flat with neighbour's poo washing up in bath
A 76-year-old army veteran is desperately appealing for his local council to cover the cost of repairs after years of flooding turned his home into a breeding ground for mould.
Alan Matthews, who served in the British Army for ten years, has been forced to live in a flat plagued with damp and black mould. The pensioner now fears for his health as he has developed a constant cough from living in such damp conditions. He said he has even had his neighbour's poo wash up in his bath, making his home "unliveable".
Mr Matthews has lived in his flat in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, for a decade, but says the problems started about three years ago when the wet room in the flat above began leaking. This caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to his furniture - including his TV, sofa, cupboards and carpets.
The grandad-of-one is now demanding action from Stoke-on-Trent City Council. He alleges they have done little to resolve the issues and says he has now been advised not to vacuum up the dust in his flat while he awaits an asbestos inspection.
Mushrooms and mold can be seen growing on the wall inside the flat (Claire Stubbs-LaRosa / SWNS)A council spokesman said the work they had done on the apartment had ensured the flat was "in a good condition". However, Mr Matthews, who served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Panama, said he has been living a nightmare.
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"The mushrooms and mould were in my living room and bathroom. I wasn't very pleased to say the least," he said. "After the first leak black mould started to grow but they didn't damp proof the walls when they replastered. Then it came through the plasterboard again in 2022 - but this time more severe to the point where my carpet was damaged."
Last year, Mr Matthews went to visit his terminally ill brothers in Australia for three months. He had a friend keeping an eye on his flat, and received a call from her saying the neighbour's flat must have leaked again and his entire flat was flooded with water coming down the walls, reports the Manchester Evening News.
"There was black mould and mushrooms growing on the walls, the floor felt unsafe, and even the light fittings had rusted and had mould growing on them," he said. "All my furniture and carpet were ruined."
He shared his ordeal, saying: "It's been going on for a couple of years now, there was a flood in the same place. I've had about five floods and one major one." He also revealed: "All my tiles have come off on my bathroom floor, I've had to take up my bathroom floor. Every time I walk I break tiles."
Mr Matthews says he has now developed a cough while he waits for an asbestos inspection but has not managed to get through to his doctor to book an appointment. He said: "Nobody should live like this. I feel as if I'm squatting. I've got a bad chest, but I can't get hold of the doctors. I haven't smoked for more than 30 years and I used to serve in the army, so I've always been fit and healthy."
The bathroom tiles had to be removed after a leak in the building (SWNS)He added: "The council worker told me not to hoover the dust as I'll be breathing it in. That's been a month, but they don't do anything. I've having to do a check for asbestos. I could be breathing it in."
Mr Matthews had to travel between Australia and the UK to visit his dying brothers while battling to save his belongings, with much of it still in storage. He is demanding £4,000 from Stoke-on-Trent council, which he believes is the value of the damaged items, but claims they say it is not their fault.
He added: "I've had a letter last week saying that the council insurance is refusing to pay out as it isn't their fault. I had to decorate my bathroom. I had no furniture whatsoever in the living room. I don't see why I should pay my own money for something that's the council's fault.
"They put me up in a Travelodge for three days and a Premier Inn for four days. After that even though there was mould and mushrooms, they told me my flat was livable because I had a kitchen.
"But it's not livable. I'm living in my bedroom because the rest of my flat isn't fit to live in. As the council didn't replace the furnishings I've had to borrow a sofa, a TV, and a TV stand as I came home to nothing. I need to have surgery on my shoulder but I can't because I would need to rest and recover at home and the air quality is too poor here. It's not a comfortable place to live and I can't go on like this."
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Councillor Chris Robinson, who is responsible for housing, responded: "We are aware of the issues Mr Matthews has had with his property and have been working closely with him since March 2023 to rectify them. The damage to Mr Matthews' home was caused by a leak from a neighbouring property. Since then, teams from Unitas have carried out extensive plastering, electrical and redecoration works at Persia Walk.
"While this work was being carried out, we were able to temporarily re-house Mr Matthews, ensuring he had a dry and safe place to stay. Mr Matthews has now returned to the property and a follow-up visit has been undertaken by our surveyor who has confirmed the property is in a good condition overall."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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