Wordsley woman tells of 12-year nightmare in damp and mouldy council bungalow

A WORDSLEY woman says she’s been living a nightmare for 12 years with damp and mould taking over her council bungalow and badgers taking over her back garden.

Rae Boxley’s home in Tack Farm Road is damp and musty throughout with blackened wallpaper, soggy flooring and clothes, fabrics and furniture going to rack and ruin.

Damp in the living room at the Tack Farm Road bungalow (Image: Bev Holder / Newsquest)

Outside, the once neatly-laid out back garden is now an overgrown jungle – fenced off and inhabited by badgers.

The garden at the Tack Farm Road bungalow, before and after (Image: Newsquest)

Rae, aged 52, says she’s existing rather than living – and she told the News: “I was so happy I’d got a garden and peace. It was beautiful when I first moved in.”

Now, 12 years on, she says she has resorted to sleeping on the sofa in the living room for six years rather than her bedroom where her bedclothes and clothing have been consumed by mould.

Clothing and bedding that has gone mouldy inside the property in Tack Farm Road (Image: Bev Holder / Newsquest)

She said: “I’ve been fighting this for 12 years and nobody will listen to me. They’ve just broken me. This isn’t how somebody should have to live. Everything has gone mouldy. This isn’t living, it’s existing.”

An independent inspection by Oldbury based property maintenance company RAM has deemed the bungalow “unfit for human habitation” and Rae, who said she suffers from PTSD and arthritis and has mobility issues, says the damp conditions have resulted in sinus problems and created “mental torture”.

She said she’s found slugs in the property that sometimes stick to her bed quilt and she hasn’t had any friends round in 12 years as “it’s so embarrassing”.

She added: “I also don’t want to subject anyone else to breathing problems.”

Damp carpets and floorboards at the property in Tack Farm Road, Wordsley (Image: Newsquest)

Rae believes water pipes may have been left damaged years ago and says she has tried to raise the issue with the council over the years but she hasn’t managed to get anyone to help resolve the problem.

She said: “They’re not bothered.”

The former car rental firm supervisor, who previously lived in Dudley, said her floorboards are soaking wet and she believes even if the problem is fixed she will need to replace all of her furniture, fabrics and wallpaper.

The bedroom which Rae Boxley says she can no longer sleep in due to the mouldy conditions (Image: Rae Boxley)

She insists she wants to stay in the property, despite the issues, adding: “I don’t think I can cope with a move.”

Thanks to help from the Veterans’ Association, Matt Rogers - who was this week hoping to hang onto his seat in the May 2 local election - has promised to do what he can do help.

He visited the property on Tuesday (April 30) and promised a further visit with a contractor on Thursday May 9 to check the pipes for leaks.

He said he would try to find out where the water has been coming from – adding: “I’ll do what I can.”

Rae Boxley and Tony Hayes of the Veterans' Association (Image: Bev Holder / Newsquest)

Tony Hayes, from the Veterans’ Association, however, has been less than impressed by the council’s reactions to date, saying: “This has been totally mishandled by the council.”

He said Rae has been “up against a brick wall” trying to seek help and he added: “I wonder how many people are having these issues in the local area?

“If they’re not doing it for Rae, how many other people are they not doing it for?”

Both he and Rae thanked Robert Sowerby from RAM for his pro bono report on the property which confirmed, on initial inspection, the presence of black mould and the need for remedial works.

Kathryn Jones, director for housing and communities at Dudley Council, said: “Throughout 2023/2024 we’ve undertaken a full stock condition survey exercise across all of our housing stock to check on the condition of properties and undertake any repairs.

"We’ve been attempting to engage with the resident since November 2023 to undertake the survey and any repairs needed but unfortunately the tenant has not allowed us or our contractors access to the property.

“Our officers are continuing to try to work with the tenant to gain access and resolve these issues.”