A single mum claimed her home has been infested with bugs and mould as she worries about her three-year-old son’s health saying, ‘this situation has completely broken me’
A single mum raged that she has suffered with a flying ant and bug infestation at her home, saying she fears for her young son’s health.
Lily Forbes, 26, moved into her home in January 2023 but claimed the space has been plagued with a long list of problems and infestations. The young mum claimed she first had to deal with silverfish and woodlice and then mould mites appeared in her cupboards.
Along with alleged mould and damp in the carpets the mum said her latest issue was a sudden infestation of flying ants that have attacked her home in Denton, Greater Manchester.
Lily said she worried the apparent constant barrage of issues would cause problems for her three-year-old son Cairo’s health. The mum said he has already been given an inhaler by doctors – Lily claimed this was due to the conditions of their home, according to Manchester Evening News.
The mum said she wants her social housing landlord, Irwell Valley Homes, to take action and fix the issues in her property. The admin worker says that her landlord has come out to deal with issues previously, but the process is long, difficult and usually ends with only short-term fixes.
Lily said: “I came home from work to an infestation of flying ants in my bedroom. It was so bad, they were all over my furniture, bed, photo frames and you could even hear them moving. I contacted Irwell Valley in desperation, asking if they could put me and my son up for the night somewhere else, but they refused.”
The mum said claimed she took a drastic measure and slept in her car to avoid the bug-ridden home. She added: “I am very respectful and clean. This really made me feel belittled, just because I live in a social flat. I had no choice but to take my son to stay at his dad’s, and I ended up sleeping in my car.
“This latest issue was just the icing on the cake of problems. It’s really draining and it’s affecting my mental health.” The mum added that although Irwell Valley brought workers in a day after she reported an infestation on June 19, the issue was ongoing.
Lily said she fears there could be a nest where they bugs coming from. The mum believes the only reason she first started getting a response from her landlord was because she contacted her local MP, Andrew Gwynne, about the situation. According to Irwell Valley’s records, November 2024 was their first interaction with Lily.
The landlord says they carried out a building inspection which found no signs of damp or mould, despite their tenants’ report. This inspection also looked into humidity levels and tested the walls for leaks, but everything came back as normal, IVH claim. They say they found no evidence of silverfish or woodlice.
Lily said: “There is mould growing under my bed and in my son’s bedroom, which I’ve had to completely refurbish myself due to damage. The only advice I’ve been given by Irwell Valley is to ‘keep the windows open’, which isn’t a realistic or effective solution especially with a small child and during cold weather.
“My three-year-old son now needs to use an inhaler when he’s with me, as the flat is triggering respiratory problems. It’s heartbreaking to see his health being affected, and nothing improving despite years of complaints. This situation has completely broken me. I’m exhausted, mentally drained, and desperate for a safe place for my child and me to live.” The mum said she is currently trying to move and is on a waiting list with another affordable housing group.
Irwell Valley says that following the inspection, advice was left with the customer around ventilation. The inspector was also said to have recommended for a fan to be fitted in the kitchen.
The unit was ordered at that time, and the housing provider says they have made several attempts to fit this but to date have not been able to gain access to the home to allow this work to be completed. Over the last five months, Irwell Valley say they have received no contact from their tenant about any issues.
A spokesperson for Irwell Valley Homes said: “We’re here to support residents and take swift action to any reports of this nature, as we have done for this customer. In November, a property inspector attended and carried out a thorough survey of the home and found no damp, mould or pests present.
“In June, the customer reported ants at the property. We sent a specialist pest contractor the next day who found limited evidence of an infestation and carried out treatment works to the affected area.”
