Gordon Rhind would rather live in a tent outside than in his mould-ridden council house.
The Aberdeen man is at the end of his tether with his one-bedroom property, which he describes as an “atrocious” health risk.
Damp and mould can be found in all of the rooms, but the bedroom is the worst affected.
He now sleeps on the sofa in the living room.
Gordon told us there is a hole in the bedroom window frame, the windows need “ripped out and replaced”, while wet patches are on the ceiling as the roof is “knackered”.
The mould is so bad it has destroyed some of his prized belongings such as rugs, artwork and a jacket he has owned for 30 years.
‘I could see the potential of this place’
Gordon moved into the Rowan Road property in October on Friday 13th – a day that has proved to be very unlucky for him.
Previously, he lived in a “fantastic” flat on Bedford Avenue for 35 years.
But he had been on Aberdeen City Council’s housing waiting list for six years as he couldn’t handle living with neighbours above or below him any more.
Gordon also wanted a property he could install a log burner in, as using gas gives him a sore head.
One of his friends lives nearby and noticed the house when he was driving past one day.
Gordon expressed an interest in the property with the council but he was told he had “no chance” in getting it and should “forget about it”.
But a few weeks later, a housing officer visited Gordon and asked if he would like to view the Rowan Road house.
However it didn’t go as smoothly as he planned.
“There was something funny about it I could smell, but I could see the potential of this place both inside and out,” Gordon explained.
He claims the council “raced him out” of his old flat and told him he had two weeks to move to prevent being charged rent for two properties.
‘They just painted everything’
In his first week in the house, the 60-year-old introduced himself to his next door neighbour.
But along with a polite hello, they had some shocking revelations for Gordon.
He was shown photos of the house while the previous tenant lived there and was told there had been mould in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.
The following week, Gordon’s nightmare began as he noticed damp had started appearing on the bedroom walls.
He immediately phoned the council in a bid to get the issue sorted.
“A housing officer came round and said, ‘well if you heat your house you wouldn’t have this problem’.
“I was furious because they knew the history of this house. This is why they raced me in here, probably before the damp started coming back.
“They just cosmetically painted everything.”
But with all the problems he now faces, Gordon admits: “I wish I never moved from my old place.”
Gordon visited his doctor as he had been coughing and sneezing since he moved in, but luckily he was given a good bill of health.
Gordon feels vulnerable people are being ‘fobbed off’ by council
Gordon currently sleeps on one sofa, while his quilts and jackets are kept on the other to protect them from mould.
Five of his leather jackets have been ruined as well as a pair of shoes and a Chinese rug has been covered in mould.
Anything he could salvage is now kept in the living room, along with his clothes and shoes which he keeps in a storage unit.
An exasperated Gordon explained: “I just wanted to move in, I’m only half unpacked and half the stuff I have unpacked is ruined.
“I had a funeral a couple of months ago, I couldn’t even put on my coat.
“The woman who used to live here had to spend five years in the sitting room because she couldn’t use the bedroom, that’s what I’m doing now.”
Gordon even suggested he would take matters into his own hands and move outdoors.
“I’m close to asking some of my chums for a loan of a tent or a gazebo.
“I’ll get a pit fire and camp outside because it’s more healthy.
“These houses are for vulnerable people and we are being fobbed off.”
But an Aberdeen City Council spokesperson confirmed the local authority was in contact with Gordon to rectify the situation.
They said: “We are liaising directly with our tenant.”
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