A MUM'S home is so plagued by mould she is forced to sleep on her living room sofa.

       Taylor Martin, who shares the damp-infested home with her partner and two-year-old daughter, said she is so embarrassed by the state of her home she can't have friends over.

       3

       Taylor said she is concerned for her daughter's health Credit: Mirrorpix

       The mum, who lives in County Down, Northern Ireland told Belfast Live that she feels "disgusting" living in amongst the damp.

       She said: "When we moved in, the place was disgusting from top to bottom, it was covered in damp and mould.

       "I was ringing the Housing Executive for about six months, non-stop, every day and I was getting nothing."

       Taylor said after she moved in a year ago, she spent days scrubbing at the mould - but it just kept coming back.

       She also claims that her family suffer non-stop coughs and flu-like symptoms from breathing in the damp and mould.

       She said: "It started going up the wall and around the bed - it was making us really sick.

       "It affects more things than you think. As we're sleeping on the sofa, our backs are always aching, we're not really getting a routine.

       "Everything's just a bit crazy at the moment.

       Most read in News

       VIOLENT FANTASIES Thug who left girlfriend 'unable to walk or talk' poses with huge knife

       'DEVASTATING' Gran, 49, detained after grandson, 5, stabbed to death as family pay tribute

       SMOKED OUT Ex-Spurs ace Chris Armstrong faces jail after PUNCHING Tesco worker over fags

       FACE-OFF Seven bizarre claims in Andrew's defence that spark more questions than answers

       "I just want to be proud of my house, to have my friends and family in. It's bringing me down a lot. It's got to the stage where I feel like I'm disgusting because I'm having to live in it."

       Taylor claims she and her partner had to replace their mattress due to the mould, and have had to fork out for new clothes ravaged by the damp.

       She said she takes her young daughter out of the house for as long as possible during the day because she is worried about the effect on her health.

       At night, Taylor has installed heaters into her youngster's room which has staved off the worst of the mould, but she and her partner wake up so cold they can see their breath in the mornings.

       And she said they have spent a fortune on heating.

       After months of calls, Taylor said she was eventually visited by housing bosses who sprayed the mould - but advised that she and her partner keep sleeping on the sofa.

       "I asked if they expected us to just keep sleeping on the sofa the whole time? It's a bit of a joke. I was beside myself, I didn't know what to do," Taylor said.

       A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said: “Our staff visited this property before Christmas and used treatments to eradicate mould on site.

       “We also commissioned a report which recommended we install new thermal plasterboard to provide a longer term solution to the issues at the property.

       “This will be fitted in the coming weeks and a full inspection will then take place.

       “Meanwhile, we will continue to liaise with our tenants and monitor any issues they may have.”

       3

       The home is infested with mould Credit: Mirrorpix 3

       Taylor said she scrubbed the mould - but it kept coming back Credit: Mirrorpix