Two families living with black mould in coastal council flats have hit out at the local authority for a lack of action.

%image(14534213, type="article-full", alt="The situation in Mick Riley's flat in April, before a mould wash was carried out by the council's contractors. Picture: Mick Riley")

Mick Riley, a security worker at the James Paget Hospital, lives with his wife and two sons on Dorset Close in the Middlegate Estate in Great Yarmouth.

In April, this newspaper told how he said he had developed a chronic chest infection and become an insulin-dependent diabetic since moving there three years ago. His son has also developed asthma.

He said: “The council made noises about getting it sorted back then, but all we got was another pointless mould wash. It worsened as soon as the weather got colder.

“Months later, it’s taken another call to the press for them to take action.

%image(14534214, type="article-full", alt="Mould has reappeared all over Mick Riley's council flat as he claims a council-organised mould wash back in the summer was "pointless". Photo: Mick Riley")

“This week, a surveyor from the council’s contractors came and fitted a new radiator in the bathroom.

“They’ve also, at last, promised to install a permanent dehumidifier.”

In a statement, Great Yarmouth Borough Council said: “Condensation occurs when there is too much water vapor in the air or when warm air meets cold surfaces. It’s worse in cold, damp weather and when heating is poor, but can be controlled by proper heating and ventilation.

“All complaints are dealt with by Great Yarmouth Norse who arrange visits and undertakes full investigations.”

%image(14534215, type="article-full", alt="Mould has reappeared all over Mick Riley's council flat as he claims a council-organised mould wash back in the summer was "pointless". Photo: Mick Riley")

But Mr Riley said it was “annoying” for the council to “play things down” and “blame the tenant”.He said: “The problem is clearly endemic throughout the building.”

More council flat tenants facing persistent mould are Peter Cottington and Hannah Griffin, 25 and 22, who live at Coronilla Green in Gorleston with their four-year-old child.

Unlike Mr Riley, Mr Cottington said he has “not heard a peep” from the council - despite GYBC claiming works have already been planned at the property.

He said: “We’ve contacted them so many times but they’re pretending the problem doesn’t exist.

%image(14534216, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

“We moved here in 2018. They gave us a dehumidifer for two weeks that summer and that’s it.

“We had to chuck out all the food in our cupboards recently because it became infested with mould.”

MORE: Hospital worker says council have taken more than two years to fix ‘chronic mould’

%image(14534217, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534218, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534219, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534220, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534221, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534222, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534225, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534226, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534227, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534228, type="article-full", alt="Peter Cottington, a youth support worker, and Hannah Griffin, a carer for elderly people, have been living in "horrific conditions" in their council flat on Corinilla Green due to chronic and persistent mould. Photo: Peter Cottington")

%image(14534229, type="article-full", alt="Dorset Close, Great Yarmouth. Photo: Google")

%image(14534230, type="article-full", alt="Corinilla Green, Gorleston. Photo: Google")