A DISABLED man has shared his agony as he claims the council has left him living in a mouldy flat putting his health at serious risk.
Adrian Huthwaite, 47, has been living in a ground floor flat in Leicestershire for three years but says he had to fight the council in order to adapt his home and install an electric front door so he could escape in case of an emergency.
The former hairdresser who suffers from COPD, Bronchiectasis and asthma and is paralysed from the waist down, has asked the council to move him out after spotting mould on his walls, Leicestershire Live reports.
He has argued that living in the flat puts his health at risk as he suffers from a number of respiratory illnesses.
He has since been offered a home in East Goscote, a different area from where he lives now.
He said: "I wrote to them from my bed, after being home for a few days after surgery. Someone was booked to come and look at the damp, but cancelled last minute.
"At this point I had enough. I had mould and damp creeping up my walls and the flat smelt.
"The property in East Goscote was said to be a direct match, I agreed to look at it but after my operation I didn't think it would be wise to move out of the area due to my main support network being here, as well as doctors who know and understand my health issues and disability.
"The flat next door to me has also been empty for two years and fits my disability needs exactly. I've been in this flat and I can get around it all. Which I've told them several times.
"I bid on it but didn't hear back after a month despite it being a direct match. This is seriously affecting my mental and physical health. I feel so angry that yet again they have let me down.
"How many more times are they going to let me down and put my health at risk?"
A spokesperson for Charnwood Borough Council told the outlet: “After fixing a leak at Mr Huthwaite’s property, we delivered a dehumidifier to help reduce moisture in the walls and have recommended it runs daily for two weeks.
"We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused and will cover the running costs of the dehumidifier.
“We are sympathetic to Mr Huthwaite’s situation but there is significant pressure on council housing and a limited supply of available properties.
"When they do become available people can bid for them and the properties are awarded based on those most in need. We appreciate some people are in difficult situations, but there are occasions when others have a greater need due to a variety of reasons and circumstances.
“The property is level access ground floor with smoke and carbon monoxide detection installed however to provide additional reassurance we will arrange our specialist fire risk assessor to visit the property.
“We will contact Mr Huthwaite directly to arrange the visit and continue to provide advice and assistance in relation to his housing application.”
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