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Inverness family finally offered a new home after council survey confirms ventilation problem


By Louise Glen

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Wesley Taylor-Marriott and Rebecca Lenane with baby daughter Harper.
Wesley Taylor-Marriott and Rebecca Lenane with baby daughter Harper.

An Inverness family have been offered a new home after complaining for months about damp and insect infestation.

Wesley Taylor-Marriott (45) and his partner Rebecca Lenane (25) moved into a ground floor flat in the city’s Benula Road in May last year, along with his son Connor (14) and daughter Liya (11).

Their baby girl Harper was born five weeks early in December and they reported problems with the flat months ago, subsequently highlighted in the Highland News and Inverness Courier.

Mr Taylor-Marriott has now been told Highland Council has found them a new home in Laurel Avenue.

“Thank you to Highland News and Media for all your help and support during this difficult time for my family, it has made all the difference,” he said.

The decision came after an independent survey of the flat discovered it does not have sufficient ventilation, which has led to mould and an infestation of insects.

Mr Taylor-Marriott, deputy manager for Inverness pub Johnny Foxes, said he had been throwing money at heating the property, while the council were at fault due to its poor condition.

He was told by an independent consultant that no amount of dehumidifying or opening windows, as suggested by the council, could control problems in the flat.

Mr Taylor-Marriott said: “I have had an independent contractor come to the house who was instructed to carry out an assessment by Highland Council to see if he could determine the problems.

“He spent about an hour with us and asked us about the problems we have been having. He took a humidity reading of the house at 11.30am and said it was way too high at 73 degrees and would only get warmer as the day went on, which was most likely caused by poor ventilation.

“He examined the extractor fans in both the bathroom and the kitchen and said that the bathroom extractor was completely inadequate and the kitchen extractor didn’t work. The council have been aware of this since August last year.

“He has filed his report stating that both extractors need replacing and we also require an outside ventilation source to solve the problem.”

A council spokesman said: “We are aware of the case and we are dealing with it under our normal housing policies.”

Related articles: Inverness family still living in 'disgusting' conditions

Couple fear mouldy flat is danger to baby’s health

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