Are you worried about all the talk in the media about toxic moulds?

[GAtherton]

[GAtherton Administrator Fungal Infection Trust]

Living in a damp home can cause respiratory symptoms and sometimes infection. Moving away from the damp home helped your symptoms so we have satisfied at least one question - it does seem that your home was making you ill. Sinusitis is a possibility given your symptoms and experiences. You might try seeing an ENT specialist.

At the National Aspergillosis Centre we are trying to understand the relationship between moulds, damp homes and symptoms along with the ISSE (ISSE.org.uk). There is much to do to find a way to get landlords and other house owners to take the health risks associated with damp seriously and part of that task is going to be gettiing all the involved parties to have sensible discussion - including the person living in the damp home as they are a major factor, as is the structure of the home and the protocols and equipment that needs to be in place to prevent damp.

Anxiety about damp on the part of the person living in the home has been increased by many press stories about 'toxic fungi' of 'black mould' and while we agree that they are bad for health (and will help campaign to prevent anyone having to live in a damp home) there has to be some perspective brought into the discussion. Symptoms are generally respiratory & allergic and while they can be extremely unpleasant they are not generally life threatening in the way they have been described in some stories.

There are some people we know who are at increased risk of infection and allergy and certainly asthmatics should avoid damp homes completely so prioritization of housing needs should be addressed by housing authorities taking this in for account.

This all boils down to - if you feel better when not living in a house then it isn't good for you to live there - move if you can. Especially if your landlord is uncooperative.

If your landlord recognises the problem and helps by installing 'fresh air' devices (see ISSE), tumble dryer and ouside clothes drying facilities, extractor fans in kitchen & bathroom and you find that some of your living habits are increasing the problem (this is very common) e.g. keeping windows shut when cooking, taking showers etc. - then there remains a possibility that the home can be ventilated better, mould & bacteria removed and living conditions improved. Improvements may or may not be possible while still living in the property - it depends on the severity of symptoms suffered and how well the work is done. Needless to say if you can move out while changes are made then it would usually be best to do so.

However there remain some properties that are almost impossible to 'cure' of damp and mould - many older properties that have had chimneys blocked up, high rise flats with no clothes drying facilities are two common examples. It is difficult to envisage any solution other than demolition in this case!