ACORN Homes for Health - Bradford

People’s Health Trust’s Homes for Health is a collaboration between the Trust and experts from housing, community, and racial justice civil society organisations responding to the growing problem of unfit private and social rented homes and their effects on tenants’ physical and mental health. Our Homes for Health Time for Action campaign is calling for sustainable funding for local authority housing enforcement. At the moment tenants have to bear the risk of enforcing housing and health regulations.

ACORN’s Homes for Health project in Bradford works with private and social tenants living on the Holme Wood estate. Many homes on the estate are in a poor state of repair with the main issues being damp and mould. Residents are struggling to get essential repairs carried out by landlords. As a result, many are experiencing respiratory conditions as well as stress and anxiety. The project works through a community organising approach, building a group of 40 tenant-volunteers (some of whom will be trained to become case workers) and supporting other residents on a one to one basis with housing issues. The group is democratic and comprised of local people from Holme Wood, equipped with the knowledge and confidence to advocate for their rights and improve the homes and health of their community.

Tatiana, a private renter in Bradford and member of ACORN, talks about the damp and mould she found when she moved into her home and the impact it had on her child’s health.

“I’m Tatiana Briosa from Keighley in Bradford. ACORN have helped me win repairs and damages from my landlord for moving my family in to a house that was not fit for purpose. I’m not alone – hundreds of thousands of tenants need support so that where they live does not affect their health.

When we first came to view the property we saw that there was mould climbing up the wooden doors, especially upstairs. When they told us they would be getting it all sorted in the week before we moved in and we have no reason not to trust them.

When we did move in we saw that nothing had been sorted. It was freezing inside. You could see our breath whenever we were breathing. The oven was covered in mould. You know the damp has to be bad for the oven to actually get mould inside it. It was disgusting

We didn’t have anywhere else to go. It wasn’t ok for us to be paying rent and to be living in a property that wasn’t fit for human condition.

Four weeks after moving in to the home our child just stopped being himself due to ingesting mould. He’d actually contracted a lung infection which turned into strep throat. It was attacking his system completely. My child’s life should have never been in danger just because I can’t afford to buy a property. That’s not ok.

I know that unfortunately my child is one of many that this has happened to and it is not ok. Something needs to be done about this."

Find out more about People’s Health Trust’s Homes for Health collaboration and our campaign.