A MOTHER’S nightmare of raising her four children in a house riddled with damp is hopefully at an end.
After a two-and-a-half-year battle, Natasha Robinson, 26, of Chain Bar Way, Hattersley, has finally been informed by Onward Homes they will carry out the work to eradicate the problem.
Onward Homes was sending an inspector to view the damp on February 23 and planned to carry out the work before weekend.
“It would not have happened without you,” she told The Correspondent, who took up her case with the housing company.
“I will be buzzing, and I really hope it happens. It will definitely make a big difference to our lives.”
There have been widespread issues with dampness in homes as residents formed the Onward Tenants Association Hattersley Facebook group to put pressure on the company.
Many residents shared their stories, with Natasha appearing to have had one of the worst experiences.
She claimed her one-year-old daughter Myla-Grace’s chest complaint is down to the issues.

“The doctor, who has put her on an inhaler, put the problem to living in a damp house,” she explained.
Natasha described the stress of her lengthy battle with Onward Homes to resolve the issues with damp, which affects every room in her home, and carry out other repairs.
She said: “I’ve had visits from seven inspectors, but nothing is ever done.
“It is exhausting and stressful the number of times I have contacted Onward Homes.
“It reached the stage when I had enough and considered taking action against them.”After her GP attributed Myla-Grace’s chest problem with damp, a concerned Natasha contacted the housing provider.
“They sent out another inspector and a surveyor, but nothing has happened,” she continued.
Natasha added there is damp in every room of the house.
She said: “It was so bad in the bedroom of my six-year-old son Noah that it rotted the ceiling and left a hole which frightened him.
“I reported it to Onward Homes who came and put a board over it and told me it was not a priority.”
Apart from the damp, Natasha explained the condition of the plaster is poor.
She said: “There was a massive crack on the landing. Onward plastered over it and it simply came through again.
“The plaster is in a shocking state and it needs more than a skimming of plaster as that is only papering over the cracks.
“And the mould is so bad that I cannot decorate the house.”A spokesperson for Onward Homes said: “We have been in touch with Ms Robinson regarding the damp issue in her home and we have booked a joint inspection in for Tuesday, February 23. We plan to commence with the work this week.”
Dylan Longmate, chair of the Hattersley Community Group and founder of the tenants’ group, said damp appears to be a widespread problem on the estate.
Collette Hardacre-Gleave also has issues with damp and no heating in her children’s bedrooms because of a leaking radiator which had to be switched off.
She wrote: “The damp is an ongoing issue with our gable end.
“Surveyors have been out several times over the last nine years. Scaffolding was put up last year and they should have been repointing and putting guttering up.
“They took the scaffolding down six weeks later and didn’t do one job.”Charley Threlfall-Smith wrote: “I think every house in Hattersley needs looking at for damp. Mine has it.
“There is a lack of drainage in my front and back gardens which are both like swamps. It’s ruining the brickwork.”
Diane Mellish reported her downstairs heating has not worked for almost two months, problems with her shower and mould in windowsills.
Natalie Sands said she has been waiting nine months for Onward Homes to repair her front door which she is unable to use. She claims to have been told it is not an emergency as she has a back door.
She added she had a new boiler but, nine months later, is still waiting to have it boxed in.
I moved into my property 18montjs ago I reported the drainage and the house alarm straight away the drainage has still not been done even though I was told in April of last year it was getting and inspector came out in may and said it didn’t need doing as the grass was dry but what do you except when we had all that nice weather the house alarm is still not fixed I was told I had to do it my myself my daughters room is full of damp as is mine and the dinning room I have had a leak 3 times in the bathroom that’s it’s coming through my kitchen ceiling I am now waiting for the surveyor and inspectors to come as I have had letter saying this
Onwards are one of the worst housing association I’ve ever come across.
New charter aren’t any better taking them to court too
I’ve been in this property in eight years
It’s condensation, not damp. Damp comes from the ground or via a breach. Black mould is a sign of internal moisture. Good loft insulation, external wall insulation and ventilation should sort it.
Nice piece. The Damp is really a big issue and needs to be sorted out.