PENSIONER Lesley Chatfield says his mould-ridden council house is leaving him struggling to breathe.

The 71-year-old says his bungalow on Bolingbroke Road has mould in several areas of the house and is impacting his health.

Lesley, who suffers from chest problems, told the Adver: “When I arrive home, the stench knocks you out. I have to open the windows.

“It’s been an issue all the time. The council sends people to come in and lick a bit of paint over the rubbish.

“I’ve got problems breathing anyway, and this seems to just make it worse.

“The bathroom floor has not been done properly either. It’s supposed to have tiles on, it’s not a proper wet room, it’s rubbish.

“Everytime I go to the council, they come out and don’t do anything.”

Mr Chatfield is frustrated with the council’s handling of the property and says this is not the first time he’s had an issue with Swindon Borough Council

He said: “All the council houses I’ve had – and I’ve stayed in about five or six – they’ve never been any good.

“The houses are like tips. I’ve had to sort them myself, but I can’t do it anymore.

“This house needs decorating, but they won’t do anything. Everything should be done here.

“It makes me mad, other people seem to have their problems fixed. I pay rent just like everybody else. When I moved in here, I sat waiting on a chair for two days in the winter for the council to turn the heating on.

“I can’t take it anymore, I was thinking of just giving up the house and renting somewhere. I’m just fed up with it.”

Mr Chatfield’s stepson Ben Perry revealed that because of the conditions of the house, his stepfather spends more time at their house than his own.

He said: “His health is getting worse and worse .We can’t come here because it stinks and is bad for us. He has to spend time with us, he can’t even spend his time in his own house apart from when he sleeps.

“It’s all wrong, we keep ringing the council and they fob him off.

“I’ve seen the council do jobs in the past on houses that are quite good.

“When you look at some of the neighbours’ houses, they’re fantastic, so why have they let this house go like this? It’s appalling.”

Mr Chatfield was visited by the council on July 20 to fix the mould issue, but it remains unresolved after a dispute over Mr Chatfield potentially being exposed to dangerous chemicals.

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “We don’t want anyone living in a house with mould, so this is an issue we take very seriously.

“We have reviewed the repair history on this property since 2019 and can confirm that we have responded appropriately to every contact received.

“We received a call two days ago informing us the mould had returned.

“A Housing Officer made contact yesterday and will be attending the property to ensure we are doing all we can to make sure the issue is taken care of as quickly as possible.”