Halmat Osman has serious health conditions which mean he cannot use stairs and struggles to breathe sometimes while using lifts. The family were evicted from their privately rented accomadation when their daughter had just turned one because the landlord wanted to sell the property.

Asthmatic dad stuck in hotel now moved to flat with damp and mould

“I woke up at four in the morning coughing and my daughter and wife were also coughing.”

by · BristolLive

A father who has severe asthma and sciatica was moved into emergency accommodation last week but says he is struggling to breathe due to the mould and dampness in the bedroom. Halmat Osman spent almost six months in Travelodge hotels after his family were evicted from their privately rented accommodation in Fishponds.

After numerous complaints to the council and a letter from a specialist nurse at Southmead hospital, the family were finally moved to a flat last week. Mr Osman, whose back pain prevents him from using the stairs, said an ambulance was called last week when he was unable to breath after a fellow hotel guest entered the lift wearing perfume, Bristol Live reported last week.

The council has also offered the family permanent council accommodation but it is a third floor flat despite his housing application stating that because of his conditions he cannot use the lift or stairs. He said that after his wife heard the news she was “crying and scared” of losing him because he has already passed out from using a lift.

Mr Osman is struggling to breathe in the new flat and he says the health of his family is also impacted. He said: “I woke up at four in the morning coughing and my daughter and wife were also coughing.

A photo sent from Mr Osman of the state of his current emergency accommodation

“There is damp in the bedroom. There is only one bedroom so there is no space for my daughter, she is crying all night because there is no bed for her in there.

“They want me to go to a flat on the third floor - if they gave me a ground floor flat I would go. I have been homeless for nearly six months. I don’t like being homeless, my daughter is crying all the time, I don’t know what to do.

“I don’t understand why they are now trying to push me into going to a flat with a lift when I passed out using a lift. If I go in a lift and someone enters with perfume it will stop my breathing and I can’t use stairs because of my sciatica.

“I don’t want to go to the hospital again. I want a ground floor flat where I can stay there forever with my family.”

Bristol City Council has been approached for a comment.