Published: Thursday, 25th February, 2010 6:00am
Damp in cramped home is hitting my son's health
by Sam Berkeley
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A FAMILY-of-five, crammed into a two-bedroom council house in North Berwick, have hit out at their "overcrowded" conditions and the bad damp that is affecting their two-year-old's health.
Dad Iain Watt, 40, who sleeps on the couch, believes the toddler Nico's respiratory problems - controlled using asthma inhalors and steroids - have been inflamed by damp.
But the family's reluctance to move out of North Berwick is hampering their hopes of securing a bigger council property.
"The doctors are not happy about it," said Mr Watt, speaking about his son's plight from their Glenburn Road property.
"We have had letters to the council from doctors and health workers pleading the case for us to be moved.
"When we had our baby two years ago we put in for a new house. We have done everything we have been asked to do but nothing has happened." he added.
"I feel really let down because my partner and I both work part-time jobs, we pay full rent and council tax and feel we have had no help."
Since 2008, Iain's step-children - a boy, 15, and girl, 10 - have shared one bedroom while he regularly sleeps on the couch in the living room to free up the other bedroom for partner Joanne, 40, and their toddler.
Last year, the couple complained about widespread damp in the property to the council's housing officer.
"We have really bad condensation which is caused by the overcrowding," he said.
Despite the "unbearable" situation, Tesco employee Mr Watt said the family could not afford to move to a council house outwith North Berwick due to work commitments and child-minding arrangements.
East Lothian Council told the Courier there were 57 three-bedroom council houses in North Berwick - all of which were occupied - and suggested the family be more flexible if they wished to improve their lot.
A spokesperson said: "We have a shortage of family-sized homes across the county, especially in North Berwick.
"In order to have the best chance of securing a new property, tenants are encouraged to select as many areas as possible to maximise potential availability.
"Limiting the location does have an impact on the length of time it takes to find a new home because, ultimately, we cannot allocate a house where none exists."
The local authority is currently offering financial incentives to encourage their tenants to downsize to a smaller property.
"I would love to get a lovely three or four bedroom house in another part of the county but we would have no life at all because we couldn't afford to pay for childminders and the cost of travelling to work," said Mr Watt.
"We get free childminding from family in North Berwick."
