Family home a living nightmare

Residing in a damp, mould-ridden Department of Housing home has become a living nightmare for one Waikiki family.

Cracked ceilings, mouldy bedroom and bathroom walls, and constant dampness have become daily issues for Nicole Mudra and her partner John Alden - who has chronic asthma - and their two children, who also have asthma.

Mr Alden said a strange smell about 12 months after they had moved in led to the discovery of mould and they had been trying to relocate ever since.

"It was October (2013) when we went to the department about the mould and the smell, but we were told we were adequately housed," he said.

Mr Alden said the decision was later overturned and they were offered a four-by-two home in Warnbro, but the property was in a poor condition.

"The place they offered us was just trashed," he said.

Since rejecting the replacement property the couple said they had had extreme difficulty communicating with the department - requesting in three letters to be relocated because of their health concerns.

Ms Mudra broke down in tears when speaking about her children Chloe, 16, and Jack, 12, having to live in the home and the constant thought of her partner's health deteriorating.

"I've gotten to the stage where I'm starting to get depressed, because with my partner being so crook and the kids being sick … I'm just totally drained from all the problems," she said.

"The worst thing about it is I've got my 16-year-old daughter sleeping in the dining area because she can't even sleep in her room (because of mould).

"I tried to explain to them that with their asthma they can't be in their bedrooms, but they have said it is our responsibility to ventilate the rooms."

She said the worst incident was when the ceiling collapsed in her daughter's room and she feared the dining room area ceiling would be next.

"It's not right, we're good tenants. We have never caused any damage to this place at all; it is just not good enough," Ms Mudra said.

Department service delivery acting general manager Peter Lonsdale said the department had arranged a building report on complaints of dampness at the property on two occasions.

He said the first report dated June 24, 2015 advised that the roof structure was sound and watertight, that the insulation above the areas with mould was dry and there was no evidence of moisture entering from outside the building.

However, a second building inspector attended again on July 10 and found visible signs of dampness and evidence that water was getting into the property.

He said the department had now advised the tenants their request for a transfer had been approved and it would further investigate the cause of dampness in order to take remedial action.