Croydon Family Left Living with Persistent Mould for Five Years
For 22-year-old Caitlin Brady, a bedroom once filled with books, comics, and soft toys should have been a safe haven. Instead, it has become a daily reminder of the mould problem that has affected her family home for half a decade.
Caitlin, who lives with her mother Lorraine McGrath in their Croydon Council-owned property on Roffey Close in Purley, says the mould has not only damaged their belongings but is also having a serious impact on their health and wellbeing.
“My pillow was constantly soaked from water dripping off the ceiling,” Caitlin said. “I had to start sleeping on the other side of the bed just to stay dry.”
The issue eases slightly during the summer months, but as another winter approaches, the family fears worsening conditions without a permanent fix in place.
Caitlin, who has asthma, says her bedroom — which faces an external wall — suffers the most. The walls regularly become damp, and many of her possessions are now marked by dark green mould.
“There was mould on my grandad’s things — he only passed away last year. I wiped it off, but seeing that made me so angry,” she said.
“When I take selfies, I have to crop out the walls so no one sees the mould. It’s ridiculous — but sometimes you just have to laugh or you’ll cry.”
Lorraine shares her daughter’s frustration and concern, particularly about the long-term health effects of mould exposure. She says her repeated requests for meaningful repairs have been met with temporary fixes that don’t address the root cause.
“They come and wash it, and within a month or two, it’s back — worse than before,” Lorraine said. “We’ve had to buy multiple dehumidifiers, and they fill up in no time.”
Since she first complained in 2023, Lorraine says over 10 contractors have visited, but the problem persists. Extractor fans were fitted in March 2024, but according to the family, these have done little to prevent the return of mould.
The property also suffers from poor water pressure, leaks, and draughts — with gaps around windows so severe the family has been forced to stuff them with tissue to block the cold air.
Lorraine says the lack of progress has been frustrating and at times, surreal.
“We actually get excited now when we’re told someone’s coming to do another mould wash — but that shouldn’t be normal,” she said. “It’s become genuinely laughable how little seems to change.”
In response, Croydon Council issued an apology and said they had followed their damp and mould policy, with multiple repair visits and cleaning carried out during 2023 and 2024. They confirmed officers will revisit the property within the next month to evaluate the effectiveness of the extractor fans.
“We have established a dedicated team to tackle these problems and introduced a new housing management system to improve repairs and resident communication,” a council spokesperson said.
“Specialist contractors are now working with us to resolve damp and mould more effectively.”
BBC, October, 2025
