Oldham couple whose son died want answers over mould-infested home

A mates who warned a landlord that the mould successful their location was deadly earlier their lad died person said they privation his inquest to find retired wherefore their pleas for assistance were ignored earlier his death.

Luke Brooks, 27, struggled with pneumonia and respiratory problems anterior to his decease successful October 2022.

Jimmy and Patsy Brooks judge damp and mould successful their location led to his issues.

They anticipation his inquest volition find retired why, contempt their warnings and requests, the location was not repaired.

The household lived successful the privately-rented spot connected Huxley Street for 9 years, but said the problems began astir arsenic soon arsenic they moved in.

They said leaks, from rainwater done the extortion oregon their ain shower, turned into mould, the boiler was broken, state was not connected and the location felt cold, adjacent successful spring.

"It's freezing successful this location astatine night, nary insulation whatsoever," Mrs Brooks said.

"It's similar a coiled that isn't healing."

Mr Brooks said they tried to dainty the mould themselves and complained to some their landlord and Oldham Council galore times, which led to repeated visits from biology wellness officers.

He said they "shouted from the apical of the mountain", but their landlord would not "put his hands successful his pockets to bash immoderate repairs".

The BBC has approached the family's landlord for comment.

When the BBC visited the spot successful May 2023, determination was mould astir model frames and a spread successful the ceiling wherever h2o had leaked betwixt floors.

The household besides shared videos and photos, which showed large, blackened mould patches connected walls and ceilings and h2o moving down interior walls arsenic it rained.

The mates said they "begged" their landlord to marque repairs.

"We're not successful the 18th Century, we're successful the 21st Century," Mrs Brooks said.

"This should not beryllium happening.

"It should ne'er person happened to my boy."

She said the week Luke died, helium complained to her of thorax pains.

She said aft calling NHS 111 and being told it was astir apt a viral infection, Luke took paracetamol and ibuprofen and stayed successful his bed.

"Two days aboriginal helium was gone," she said.

"We tried to resuscitate him.

"We couldn't fetch him back."

She said the mates had been crushed by the nonaccomplishment of the son, who she said was "our champion mate".

"He had plans," she said.

"He's ne'er going to acquisition love. He's not going to person children."

Since Luke's death, the mates person moved to a caller home, provided by Oldham Council, and said they felt healthier and were sleeping better.

However, they added that they felt they did everything successful their powerfulness to hole the mould successful their spot and wanted Luke's inquest to find retired if their landlord and different agencies had besides done everything they should have.

The hearing, which is owed to unfastened aboriginal and volition perceive 5 days of evidence, volition beryllium overseen by Manchester North elder coroner Joanne Kearsley.

Ms Kearsley besides oversaw the inquest into toddler Awaab Ishak's death, which besides heard astir however his household had been surviving successful a mould-infested home.

Oldham councillor Elaine Taylor said the authority's "thoughts spell retired to Luke's household and friends during this time".

She added that the assembly would await the coroner's findings earlier commenting further.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities typical said their thoughts were besides with Luke's parents "at this precise hard time".

"We widen our deepest condolences to them and to each who knew and loved Luke," they said.

They added that "given the ongoing investigations into Luke's death", the section was "unable to remark further astatine this time".

By Fiona Trott, BBC North of England Correspondent

At Awaab Ishak's inquest past year, Coroner Joanne Kearsley posed a question: "How successful the UK successful 2020 does a two-year-old kid dice arsenic a effect of vulnerability to mould?"

It struck a chord. Politicians called for urgent alteration successful the lodging assemblage and tenants who felt ignored abruptly felt empowered.

Nine months on, a household accidental they judge their lad died successful the aforesaid circumstances and the aforesaid coroner is holding different inquest successful the aforesaid court.

Living conditions successful modern Britain are being brought into the spotlight erstwhile again. So what has changed?

Unlike Awaab's parents, the Brooks household were renting from a backstage landlord.

The authorities says updated prime and information standards for societal lodging volition beryllium introduced into the backstage assemblage for the archetypal clip and it is besides creating a caller ombudsman work for backstage tenants.

Luke's mum Patsy says it is taking excessively long.

The household were surviving successful the location wherever Luke died until July and were worn down by complaining.

The inquest volition look astatine the facts - what enactment the household took, what enactment the landlord took and the relation of immoderate different authorities involved.

Jimmy and Patsy anticipation those facts volition assistance them travel to presumption with their nonaccomplishment and pb to reform.