Family's Housing Hell in Stourbridge: A Desperate Plea for Help Amid Health Risks
A family in Stourbridge is enduring a living nightmare in a home they describe as uninhabitable and dangerous, with a collapsing ceiling, pervasive damp and mould, and suspected Japanese Knotweed invading through a door. Kevin Smith, 39, and his partner Danielle Hutton, 36, along with their three children, have been fighting for rehousing after paramedics raised a safeguarding referral due to the dire conditions at their Lyttelton Road property.
Health Conditions Exacerbated by Hazardous Living Environment
Mr Smith suffers from emphysema, a severe lung disease, while Ms Hutton has asthma, and one of their children is autistic. In January, Ms Hutton required an ambulance after experiencing breathing problems, prompting medics to alert Dudley Council to the hazardous living conditions. The family believes the home is exacerbating their health issues and putting their lives at risk.
Mr Smith expressed the emotional toll, stating, "I can't work, it's not something I am proud of, it's soul-destroying when you have got constant problems and you are trying to get them fixed but you haven't got the finances to fix it yourself." He added that he suffers from severe anxiety and depression, with the family facing "real dark days" and considering moving back to a parent's home, but they remain determined to stay together.
Extensive Property Damage and Council Inspection Findings
The house is infested with damp and mould throughout, with three rooms so severely affected that the family no longer uses them. An inspection by Dudley Council on March 12 identified additional issues, including:
- Problems with the electrical system, posing a fire hazard.
- Water ingress through a flat roof, causing part of a ground-floor ceiling to collapse.
- Suspected Japanese Knotweed growing through a door, an invasive plant that can damage structures.
Mr Smith revealed that they run a dehumidifier constantly, emptying it four times a day as it fills with moisture, highlighting the extent of the damp problem.
Council Response and Political Intervention
Dudley Council is preparing a report to determine if the property is "unfit" for habitation, which could lead to enforcement action against the landlord. However, the family claims they have been offered only an unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation, which would classify them as "intentionally homeless" if they refuse.
Local officials have stepped in to advocate for the family. Norton councillor Tony Creed is calling for a quicker response from the council, while Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles has written to the authority to highlight the family's plight. Mr Smith pleaded, "They have seen the evidence, one of those photos should be enough. My family has been left in the dark and treated like we are less than human."
He concluded, "The mental struggle of the unknown alone due to all this is too much to bear and puts us at risk even further." The family continues to await a resolution as they navigate this housing crisis, hoping for a safe and suitable home to protect their health and well-being.
