A mother from Chepstow is speaking out after her teenage daughter collapsed due to black mould in their flat, with the family still waiting for proper repairs to be carried out.
The mum, who has not been named, says the mould problem in their home became so severe that her daughter suffered a health collapse directly linked to the damp conditions. Despite this, the teenager still does not have a proper bedroom to sleep in while the situation drags on.
Black mould is a serious health hazard that can cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions and in worse cases more severe illness, particularly in young people. For this family, it stopped being a background worry and became a full-blown crisis when their daughter ended up collapsing.
The mother says she has been raising the alarm about the state of the flat for some time. The mould had spread significantly, affecting the walls and making the living conditions increasingly unbearable. But despite her complaints, she feels the response has been too slow and too little.
After her daughter collapsed, you might expect urgent action to follow. Instead, the family say they are still living with the fallout. The teenager has been displaced from her own bedroom while the property remains in a state that the family describe as unacceptable. Sleeping arrangements have had to be reorganised just to keep the young girl away from the worst affected areas.
The case shines a light on a problem that is far from unique in Wales. Damp and mould in rented and social housing has been a growing concern across the country, with tenants often feeling ignored or fobbed off when they raise complaints with landlords or housing associations. Campaigners have long argued that the system too often protects landlords rather than the people living in these conditions.
The situation in Chepstow echoes cases seen elsewhere in Wales and across the UK, where families have had to fight for months or even years to get basic repairs done. In some of the most high-profile cases, prolonged exposure to black mould has had devastating consequences for residents, particularly children.
For this family, the emotional toll is clear. The mother is frustrated and exhausted from pushing for action while her daughter continues to be affected. Having a teenager without a proper bedroom is not just an inconvenience, it affects sleep, schoolwork, mental health and day-to-day life in ways that quickly add up.
Housing experts say that black mould should always be treated as an urgent matter, not something to be added to a long maintenance list. Ventilation, heating and structural issues all play a role in mould growth, and simply painting over it or doing surface-level work is not enough. Proper investigation and repair is needed to stop it coming back.
The family are calling for faster action and want to see the flat properly fixed so their daughter can have her bedroom back and get back to some kind of normal life. They also hope that by speaking out, other families in similar situations will feel encouraged to push for the repairs they are entitled to.
Tenants in Wales do have legal rights when it comes to the condition of their homes. The Renting Homes Wales Act, which came into force in 2022, placed new duties on landlords to ensure properties are fit for human habitation. Damp and mould fall firmly within the scope of what landlords are expected to deal with. However, knowing your rights and actually getting action are two very different things for many tenants.