Residents in Peter McVerry Trust housing enduring dampness, mould and rats

Images taken inside one of the bedsits at Hogan Court in south inner city Dublin show the effects of no damp proofing or adequate insulation.

Residents at a Peter McVerry Trust housing complex have hit out at the conditions they are having to live in, which include dampness, mould and rats.

Images taken inside one of the bedsits at Hogan Court in south inner city Dublin show the effects of no damp proofing or adequate insulation.

Despite having undergone “significant repairs” 10 years ago, a number of tenants said they are suffering with asthma, lung conditions, depression, and regular colds due to the environment they are living in.

The former block of 12 former local authority flats are owned by Dublin City Council and leased by Peter McVerry Trust on a long-term basis to be used as provide social housing.

They had undergone “extensive renovations” in 2016, according to a statement online by the Peter McVerry Trust.

One tenant said: “I am living like this for the past two years and I have made loads of complaints about the place.

One tenant said: 'My bed is black with dampness as you can see, and so are all of the walls.'

“My bed is black with dampness as you can see, and so are all of the walls. There is mould everywhere from the floors to the ceilings. I have been onto them loads of times, but I spent all Christmas living like this and all of last year too."

One tenant also provided the Irish Examiner with a medical report from their doctor who confirmed they are on medication for lung conditions and said they “require more suitable accommodation”.

The letter said "there is black mould in their current accommodation” and that the person has asthma. “It is not safe for them to live like this…and I am concerned about the impact this is having on their lungs."

A statement online by the Peter McVerry Trust said the area had previously fallen into a “very poor state of repair”, and at the time, the 12 units were included “among a number of sites identified by Peter McVerry Trust as suitable for renovation and management by the charity”.

A construction project got underway a decade ago which was centred on “producing high-quality accommodation units for individual homeless people”.

It said: “The project will see extensive internal renovations of the properties, with new windows, electrics, plumbing, dry lining and improvements made to fire safety standards and ventilation.

One tenant said: 'There is mould everywhere from the floors to the ceilings.'

“External works will focus on creating a more aesthetically appealing block of apartments and to improve disability access to the ground floor units."

In a statement the housing charity said: “Peter McVerry Trust are aware of the issues raised in relation to both individual apartments and the wider management of the building. While we cannot comment on individual cases, we take all reports regarding building conditions and the management of common areas seriously. 

"Issues such as waste management and pest control are assessed and addressed in conjunction with property management services and relevant local authority partners where required. The welfare of our tenants is at the heart of everything we do and we’re working to resolve the situation as efficiently and effectively as possible."