A MUM has opened up about the reality of living in a home with no heating and mouldy wet walls during the cost of living crisis.
As she went into more detail about her sad situation, she appealed for help – and it wasn’t long before others came to her rescue armed with tips.
The social media user took to Facebook group FAMILY LOWDOWN TIPS & IDEAS, as she asked the other members for some much-needed advice.
In a moving post, she wrote: “Really need some help.
“Our rented house has no insulation in the loft and it’s absolutely freezing in here.
“We can only realistically afford to have the heating on 1 hr in the morning for the kids when they wake up and an hour before bed as we are on a smart metre.
“And just that is £100 a week.”
The heartbroken mum continued to say that they’d invested in some hooded blankets and hot water bottles to keep the cold at bay.
She also revealed that her kids are currently sleeping with three blankets each evening.
She added: “During the day though my toddler is freezing and would rather snuggle up to me than play as it’s so cold.
“She’s even worn gloves in the house before.”
As a result of the plummeting temperatures in their home, the woman shared how they’ve now “started getting mould in all the bedrooms and the walls are wet and dripping.”
She went on to say that despite wiping them down and opening the windows daily to help the air circulate, “the walls are still wet every day and mould is getting worse.”
The lady then appealed to the group, as she admitted her circumstances were “really getting her down.”
She concluded: “The past week I have been sleeping in the front room with my teenage daughter and toddler as it’s the warmest room in the house and mould free.
“Any tips for the mould, water on walls or just to keep warmer would be really appreciated.”
My toddler is freezing and would rather snuggle up to me than play as it’s so cold
After reading her post, fellow members of the group rallied around her and offered their words of wisdom.
Their advice ranged from calling their energy company to go through their bill and see if they could cut the price in any way, to speaking to their landlord about solutions, to buying a dehumidifier.
One wrote: “A dehumidifier will really help.”
As a second continued: “Tin foil behind each radiator to reflect heat back in.
“Scrunched newspapers in the loft where you feel most draughts and mould protection on the walls you paint it on.”
While others spoke about their own experience and how they’ve been fighting the cold.
One said: “In terms of keeping warm, keep feet and necks warm as priority.
“So three layers of socks if you can, plus slippers if they fit. Then a scarf or a snood.”
They echoed everyone else on the group’s sentiments, as they added: “Hope you manage to find a solution to the situation. It’s horrendous.”
