When the Guardian visited the family’s home last week, Dareen was wheezing loudly while being cradled by her mother. Large patches of black mould were present throughout the property. The tops of walls and ceilings were stained with streaks of water, probably caused by damp. Airtight plastic boxes full of children’s clothes sat in the living room.
Oh, no! How did this come about?
The family moved to the privately rented flat in February 2017 and problems with damp and mould developed soon afterwards. Dareen was born last January with a hole in her heart. At five days old she was taken to hospital where she remained for nine days. “She was cold and had breathing problems. They gave her oxygen and warmth,” her father said.
Yes, it's yet another case of 'We are in cramped conditions, but why should that stop us having kids we've no room for?'
And why do they do this? Because it works:
Despite the new classification, the wait for a new home could be lengthy. Lambeth council said this was due to high demand and a severe shortage of social housing, especially homes for a seven-person household.
*sighs*
