PEOPLE living in damp and mouldy homes are being told to open windows and turn on heating, a Thurrock councillor has claimed.

Cllr Valerie Morris-Cook, who represents Grays Riverside where tower blocks have been subjected to a botched refurbishment project that goes back over several years, raised the issue again at a health and wellbeing board meeting last week.

In October Thurrock Nub News highlighted the problems in the three tower blocks, Lionel Oxley, Arthur Toft and George Crooks Houses.

Cllr Morris-Cook has been talking to residents and says she is shocked at the conditions they have to live in. She told how a resident who had "water running down the walls" and whose children had become sick had been given the advice after notifying Thurrock Council.

Cllr Morris-Cook said: "There isn't a one solution fits all for mould, but it is a huge problem in a lot of the council stock, especially in the high rises in Grays Riverside.

"I'm dealing with somebody who currently has had property treated and now has water running down the walls, three children, been told leave your window open. Leave your heating on.

"No one in their right minds is going to. We can't afford all our heating bills let alone leave the windows open. This resident does actually leave windows open. She has now, at her own cost, purchased a dehumidifier."

Cllr Val Morris-Cook.

Cllr Morris-Cook called for the council to provide dehumidifiers to help residents dry out their properties.

She added: "This would take pressure away from the health service. This lady that I'm dealing with, three of her children are constantly being admitted to hospital.

"If we can try and help them on their journey, rather than saying leave your window open and put your hearing on, let's put dehumidifiers in. I'm sure we could purchase them at a reasonable cost and it would take money away from other areas that putting into and it would seem we do care.

"I wouldn't want to live in something like that. We really do need to pay more than lip service. Mould is a huge problem and it does cause issues."

In response, Ryan Farmer, Thurrock's housing strategy manager, said: "Damp and mould is something which is taken incredibly seriously.

"It isn't just something that we see as a property matter. It is absolutely about the people living in those properties.

"Dehumidifiers are supplied in properties where there is the presence of damp and mould but I'm sure it is something that could be explored further."

Mr Farmer added: "We are absolutely taking steps to ensure people believe it is more than lip service that we are providing.

"We really do realise the impact it has on people's lives and it's not something we would want people experiencing in their homes.

"We've had conversations about all sorts of people going into those properties, identifying things and how we can get the support, the right works in.

"Very recently the Housing Ombudsman published its spotlight and damp and mould report.

"It had a series of 26 recommendations that landlords should follow. We've since taken two updates to housing overview and scrutiny in our progress towards those and the development of a damp policy regardless of who your landlord is."