Hiwa Abdulrahman alongside his wife – who is expecting their first child in May – say there have been multiple issues with damp and mould since June 2023
A man and his heavily pregnant wife have said they were forced to sleep in their car because of issues with their home.
Hiwa Abdulrahman alongside his wife – who is expecting their first child in May – says there have been multiple issues with dampness and mould since June 2023. They claim to have been suffering from antisocial behaviour for “over a year”.
The 40-year-old care worker and his 31-year-old wife allegedly slept in their car for four nights, in February 2024, having felt “unsafe” in their Toxteth flat. Torus housing set them up in temporary accommodation on February 11, where they remain.
Torus, the housing association which manages the flat, said the damp and mould issues were “caused by a blocked external rainwater drain” and it has since “undertaken works to resolve and if access is given, they are due to be completed next month”. But Hiwa said he and his wife, who does not wish to be named, have no desire to return to the flat.
They wish to be permanently rehomed. He told the Liverpool ECHO: “I want us to be moved because my wife has now got a phobia about living in our house.
“We have been intimidated, insulted and we have complained about all of these things. We reported it a long time ago. It’s over a year we’ve been having ASB problems and since then Torus are still dealing with the situation”.
Torus told the ECHO they take “all reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) seriously” and are “actively engaged with the tenants and Merseyside Police”. After the first leak, in June 2023, Hiwa says it happened again in July and September, leading to mould growing, mostly in the kitchen and bathroom.
Every time Torus came out to the property, Hiwa claims the mould and damp returned. In October, Hiwa started to notice mould had been building up under the living room carpet, which they’ve had taken up and damp and mould around window frames.
Hiwa said he and his wife are worried about their health, especially with the imminent arrival of their first child and claims their GP has written to Torus about their health concerns. The dad-to-be said his wife suffers with a cough, breathlessness and wheezing which he alleges a GP has said is suggestive of a “allergic respiratory disease”.
He also said his wife has been prescribed an inhaler to help manage her symptoms but she fears for the health of herself and her unborn baby. His wife, who he married in 2022 in Turkey, joined Hiwa in the UK last August.
The 31-year-old, who is seven months pregnant, said: “It’s making me feel like I’m going mad. The stress with my pregnancy is one issue and all this on top of that. Since I’m living here I do not know what is safe and do not know what a comfortable life is.”
The couple claim they have been subject to antisocial behaviour while living in their flat, which they said has been reported to Merseyside Police. Torus told the ECHO it was working with Merseyside Police to investigate the alleged incidents.
Paul Warburton, Torus Group Housing Director, said: “Ensuring our tenants have a safe and decent home is a priority for Torus. We take all reports of damp and mould extremely seriously and can confirm that since we were alerted to this issue, we identified the issue was caused by a blocked external rainwater drain and have undertaken works to resolve and if access is given, they are due to be completed next month.
“For the duration of the works, and in consideration of the pregnancy, the tenants have been moved into temporary accommodation. Torus also takes all reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) seriously and understand the distress ASB can cause.
“Whilst we cannot comment in detail on an individual case, we can confirm that we are actively engaged with the tenants and are working with other partners, including Merseyside Police, to investigate what actions can be taken. We apologise that we are not able to resolve the issues as quickly as the tenants would prefer.
“We remain in regular contact with them, ensuring they remain supported and informed of next steps and actions.” A Merseyside Police spokesperson said officers had made enquiries into Mr Abdulrahman’s allegations of ASB, “but there has been insufficient evidence to proceed”.
Hiwa added: “Even if they correct the damp and mould, due to the ASB we do not want to move back there. This is a serious worry for us to bring a baby into this situation.”
