'I had mould in my lungs': Horror infestation forces family from home

An outbreak of mould has forced a Brisbane family of six to flee their home, claiming they now suffer from severe health issues.

Tenant Rose Singh blames Queensland’s Housing Commission, who she says has failed to fix moisture problems in her Manly West house, about 20 kilometres east of Brisbane.

Ms Singh’s mouldy hell started with water leaking through her walls and windows.

“It doesn’t matter how many times they fixed it, it would still come down through and flood,” Ms Singh said.

Within months, signs of trouble started to take hold and mould quickly spread into several rooms, resulting in every piece of furniture being sent to the tip.

“Once they’re affected by mould it’s very hard to treat it and guarantee that it’s removed,” Tim Weber from New Life Restorations said.

“I had mould in my lungs, growing in my lungs, I was that ill,” Ms Singh said.

The single mother of six now takes daily medication and says the children are sick as well, especially her daughter.

“I had aches, pains, headaches, sinuses,” daughter Rabia said.

“She’s only 13 and she’s had to have many days off school,” Ms Singh said.

Fed up with the situation, Ms Singh and her kids moved out last month and are now sleeping on the floor of her mother’s house, though she says the Department of Housing is still asking her for rent.

“Housing have been notified of these issues and have done nothing at all,” Ms Singh said.

The Department says they’re committed to ensuring all public housing is maintained.

“The Department is committed to ensuring all public housing is maintained to a standard consistent with community expectations,” a spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Public Works said.