Mothers in Moray fear one of their children will die before action is taken to tackle insulation problems in their freezing homes.
Terrified parents at an affordable homes development in Lossiemouth claimed last night they had been forced to take drastic measures to try to keep their families warm.
Some have wrapped their children in fleecy pyjamas, extra blankets and even given them gloves and hot water bottles to hug as temperatures have plummeted.
Others have gone to stay with relatives – and one mum believes the conditions at Moray Housing Partnership’s (MHP) 22-property development at Lossiemouth’s Imlach Way may have contributed to a viral condition which led to her baby’s breathing stopping four times.
last night, MHP admitted there were issues at the housing development and said staff were doing everything they could to find a solution.
And Councillor John Cowe, who represents Heldon and Laich, said it was “abundantly clear” that the problems lay with the properties’ insulation.
Rebecca Hay, 27, who has three children aged eight, four and four months and has stayed at Imlach Way with husband, Kevin, 30, since last November, said last night: “I have been fighting and fighting this for about a year.
“I don’t seem to be getting anywhere. I just don’t know what to do.
“We are spending £50-£60 a week on gas to heat the house, and it’s just going out the roof. I can’t afford to keep the heating on all night.
“I’m supposed to be getting a bigger heater downstairs on Monday, but it’s upstairs that’s the problem. I don’t know if it’s a lack of insulation, or no insulation at all.
“Last week, there was one night that was really frosty. It was so cold upstairs, we had to take our four-month-old, Cooper, into our bed beside us – which is dangerous enough to start with – because my husband kept wakening up in the night terrified something would happen to him.
“My other two kids have to go to bed with pyjamas, fleeces, socks, gloves, hot water bottles and extra blankets. We shouldn’t have to do that. Are they not going to do anything until a baby dies?”
Neighbour Bev Garden said: “My partner Lee and I are just coming home from hospital with our three-month-old.
“He’s fine now, but he had a viral infection, and he stopped breathing four times. I’m not saying Nico’s condition was down to the cold, but it doesn’t help.
“It’s a disgrace really. Nobody should have to live like this. We are in the 21st century, not the dark ages.”
Resident Gail Stewart, 26, said: “I have two boys that are off sick from school because they are coughing and spluttering everywhere. They are five and seven and have had to get inhalers. I haven’t stayed at home for the last three nights because it’s so cold.”
MHP is an independent not-for-profit business with objectives based on providing and managing high quality housing across the north-east.
Its housing services director, Glenn Adcook, said: “This has been an ongoing problem that we have been in constant dialogue with the original builders about.
“After a full further technical check that was carried out on the properties, it has been agreed that some of the radiators need to be resized.
“However, we do now want to understand the technical specification of the insulation in greater detail, and we want to make sure all this insulation is actually working the way it should be.
“We understand the tenants’ frustration. We are doing as much as we can as quickly as we can to try and get it sorted for them.”
Mr Cowe said: “This has been ongoing since before I was elected 18 months ago. I have had several meetings with MHP.
“They have acknowledged there is a problem, and they have looked at several different options.
“The issue would appear that the heat is being lost through the walls of the houses, so there is obviously a problem with insulation.
“I do think more drastic measures need to take place because it is abundantly clear the heating is being lost through the ceilings. What they need to find out is why?”
Housing partnership representatives are expected to hold talks with residents and Mr Cowe today.