Have you ever seen mould like this? Damp is causing this Colchester family's living hell

Emma Ford lives with husband, Matthew, and their three sons in a Colchester flat.

But their home, in Earlswood Way, is plagued with mould and despite promises to fix the problem from housing provider Genesis, the family said they had seen no improvement.

Mrs Ford, 28, said workers washed down the walls before last summer – during which time the problem subsided. But when the cold weather hit late last year, it returned worse than ever.

She said: “It really is no home at all. It is horrible coming home.

“The smell really hits you every time you come in the door, when you wake up in the morning, it’s there on the ceiling – it’s not a home, it’s a living hell.”

She added: “We had to move the boys’ beds because condensation was dripping on them during the night.

“We have to wash the bed clothes almost every day because mould grows on them. Your home is a place you’re supposed to want to spend time with your children but we don’t.

“You just don’t want to go home because you know what is waiting for you there.”

The family previously rented privately in Cromwell Road, Colchester, but when the landlord decided to give the house an overhaul they had to move out.

However, they could not afford a deposit for a new home in the private sector and were subsequently housed in late 2015 through the Gateway to Homechoice scheme, which gives people in Colchester, Babergh, Braintree, Ipswich, Maldon and Suffolk the chance to bid for properties.

Mrs Ford, who is mum to Hartley, four, Noah, three, and baby Theo, said: “We actually noticed the mould when we moved in. It wasn’t too bad but it was there. We started speaking to other people in the block and they were telling us it had been an issue for years.”

Early last year, Mrs Ford said Genesis workers were booked to install extra fans in the home but it never happened. The walls, though, were washed.

She added: “Then the summer came and it warmed, there’s less damp and really it wasn’t a problem.

“But I still chased it up because by then I was pregnant with Theo and I knew it was going to be a problem again in the winter.”

A Genesis spokesperson said: “Genesis is aware of and apologises for the issues with mould at this property and we are working with our repairs and maintenance provider Kier to determine how this can be tackled most effectively.

“We are assessing the situation with Kier and with our own teams to address this. A technical supervisor from Kier attended the property on Wednesday and is putting together detailed recommendations about the best way forward. “

We will keep the resident closely informed about any planned works and will ensure the family are supported throughout the process.”