From ‘beautiful’ to ‘wrack and ruin’: Senior struggles living in mouldy, flooded house

Content Warning: This article contains distressing details about severe living conditions and challenges faced by individuals in public housing, which may be emotionally sensitive for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

In this day and age, one would hope that poor living conditions would be tales from a bygone era.

However, some in our society are still grappling with this harsh reality.

Recently, a case turned heads in Perth where a great-grandmother revealed the shocking state of her public housing.



Sharon (not her real name), 58, is a great-grandmother and domestic violence survivor, and she describes her living situation as an absolute nightmare.

She said her ‘beautiful’ home is slowly turning into ‘wrack and ruin’.


erik-mclean-RfkaDKptt-A-unsplash.jpg
Sharon struggles to live in her home in Perth. Credit: Unsplash



Her home has cracked floors, ruined skirting boards, and a mould problem that has been severely exacerbating her emphysema and other health issues.

Her home is also constantly flooding–even it isn't raining.

In an attempt to fix these problems, she reported them in early October; her home received a ‘lick of paint’, and a fan was installed.

Unfortunately, the tradesperson who did the labour broke her washing machine, which remains unusable.



Despite the efforts to fix the mould problem, Sharon believes the mould is returning. According to 7News, a health inspector’s assessment of her residence said the mould was ‘likely to increase exponentially’.

In addition, problems like cracked floorboards and flooding are also unaddressed as of late November.

'There's water pouring into my spare room everywhere,' Sharon said.

'Into the wardrobe, on the floor, coming down the passage...I'm having to put towels down, and they're all soaking wet.’

‘It's a danger that I slip over,’ she added.

Sharon was informed that she may need to wait a few weeks for the rest of her house’s problems to be fixed.

Someone would be at her home by December 5.

‘And I’m thinking “Well, I’ll need a row boat,”’ she scoffed.

Sharon’s living conditions were ‘crazy’, according to Sue (not her real name), her close friend.

‘It’s just been like a living nightmare for her,’ Sue said.



According to Western Australia Housing Minister John Carey, there is a 24-hour response time for emergency issues, but ‘more complex matters’ may take longer, and multiple days of work may also be required.

‘We do everything we can,’ Carey said.

‘We have 36,000 properties in the system.’

But the demand for public housing in the state is growing—with 35 beds at the converted Murray Hotel in West Perth filling up fast.

The service is part of the Housing First supported accommodation model of the government—which is also now housing 109 people sleeping without a home.

There are also 112 apartments being constructed in East Perth on the corner of Hill and Wellington Streets.



In a previous story, a 78-year-old former industrial worker struggling to make ends meet has been forced to sleep in her car.

She felt that she had no other choice, as she had no family left in the country. You can read more about her story here.

Key Takeaways

  • Sharon has been living in unsatisfactory conditions in her public housing home, which is flooded and full of mould.
  • Despite reporting the issues to authorities in October and some minor repair attempts, problems such as cracked floorboards, constant flooding, and mould remain.
  • Sharon, who suffers from emphysema, says that the mould in the home is adversely affecting her health.
  • Housing Minister John Carey acknowledged the issues but stated that complex matters may take longer to solve and that efforts are being made to cope with the growing demand for public housing in the state.

Members, what do you think of the current public housing situation? Let us know in the comments below.
 
Sponsored
Content Warning: This article contains distressing details about severe living conditions and challenges faced by individuals in public housing, which may be emotionally sensitive for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

In this day and age, one would hope that poor living conditions would be tales from a bygone era.

However, some in our society are still grappling with this harsh reality.

Recently, a case turned heads in Perth where a great-grandmother revealed the shocking state of her public housing.



Sharon (not her real name), 58, is a great-grandmother and domestic violence survivor, and she describes her living situation as an absolute nightmare.

She said her ‘beautiful’ home is slowly turning into ‘wrack and ruin’.


View attachment 35463
Sharon struggles to live in her home in Perth. Credit: Unsplash



Her home has cracked floors, ruined skirting boards, and a mould problem that has been severely exacerbating her emphysema and other health issues.

Her home is also constantly flooding–even it isn't raining.

In an attempt to fix these problems, she reported them in early October; her home received a ‘lick of paint’, and a fan was installed.

Unfortunately, the tradesperson who did the labour broke her washing machine, which remains unusable.



Despite the efforts to fix the mould problem, Sharon believes the mould is returning. According to 7News, a health inspector’s assessment of her residence said the mould was ‘likely to increase exponentially’.

In addition, problems like cracked floorboards and flooding are also unaddressed as of late November.

'There's water pouring into my spare room everywhere,' Sharon said.

'Into the wardrobe, on the floor, coming down the passage...I'm having to put towels down, and they're all soaking wet.’

‘It's a danger that I slip over,’ she added.

Sharon was informed that she may need to wait a few weeks for the rest of her house’s problems to be fixed.

Someone would be at her home by December 5.

‘And I’m thinking “Well, I’ll need a row boat,”’ she scoffed.

Sharon’s living conditions were ‘crazy’, according to Sue (not her real name), her close friend.

‘It’s just been like a living nightmare for her,’ Sue said.



According to Western Australia Housing Minister John Carey, there is a 24-hour response time for emergency issues, but ‘more complex matters’ may take longer, and multiple days of work may also be required.

‘We do everything we can,’ Carey said.

‘We have 36,000 properties in the system.’

But the demand for public housing in the state is growing—with 35 beds at the converted Murray Hotel in West Perth filling up fast.

The service is part of the Housing First supported accommodation model of the government—which is also now housing 109 people sleeping without a home.

There are also 112 apartments being constructed in East Perth on the corner of Hill and Wellington Streets.



In a previous story, a 78-year-old former industrial worker struggling to make ends meet has been forced to sleep in her car.

She felt that she had no other choice, as she had no family left in the country. You can read more about her story here.

Key Takeaways

  • Sharon has been living in unsatisfactory conditions in her public housing home, which is flooded and full of mould.
  • Despite reporting the issues to authorities in October and some minor repair attempts, problems such as cracked floorboards, constant flooding, and mould remain.
  • Sharon, who suffers from emphysema, says that the mould in the home is adversely affecting her health.
  • Housing Minister John Carey acknowledged the issues but stated that complex matters may take longer to solve and that efforts are being made to cope with the growing demand for public housing in the state.

Members, what do you think of the current public housing situation? Let us know in the comments below.
Australia's public housing used to be something to be proud of, now Australia is the laughing stock of the world, not only it's public housing.
 
Content Warning: This article contains distressing details about severe living conditions and challenges faced by individuals in public housing, which may be emotionally sensitive for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

In this day and age, one would hope that poor living conditions would be tales from a bygone era.

However, some in our society are still grappling with this harsh reality.

Recently, a case turned heads in Perth where a great-grandmother revealed the shocking state of her public housing.



Sharon (not her real name), 58, is a great-grandmother and domestic violence survivor, and she describes her living situation as an absolute nightmare.

She said her ‘beautiful’ home is slowly turning into ‘wrack and ruin’.


View attachment 35463
Sharon struggles to live in her home in Perth. Credit: Unsplash



Her home has cracked floors, ruined skirting boards, and a mould problem that has been severely exacerbating her emphysema and other health issues.

Her home is also constantly flooding–even it isn't raining.

In an attempt to fix these problems, she reported them in early October; her home received a ‘lick of paint’, and a fan was installed.

Unfortunately, the tradesperson who did the labour broke her washing machine, which remains unusable.



Despite the efforts to fix the mould problem, Sharon believes the mould is returning. According to 7News, a health inspector’s assessment of her residence said the mould was ‘likely to increase exponentially’.

In addition, problems like cracked floorboards and flooding are also unaddressed as of late November.

'There's water pouring into my spare room everywhere,' Sharon said.

'Into the wardrobe, on the floor, coming down the passage...I'm having to put towels down, and they're all soaking wet.’

‘It's a danger that I slip over,’ she added.

Sharon was informed that she may need to wait a few weeks for the rest of her house’s problems to be fixed.

Someone would be at her home by December 5.

‘And I’m thinking “Well, I’ll need a row boat,”’ she scoffed.

Sharon’s living conditions were ‘crazy’, according to Sue (not her real name), her close friend.

‘It’s just been like a living nightmare for her,’ Sue said.



According to Western Australia Housing Minister John Carey, there is a 24-hour response time for emergency issues, but ‘more complex matters’ may take longer, and multiple days of work may also be required.

‘We do everything we can,’ Carey said.

‘We have 36,000 properties in the system.’

But the demand for public housing in the state is growing—with 35 beds at the converted Murray Hotel in West Perth filling up fast.

The service is part of the Housing First supported accommodation model of the government—which is also now housing 109 people sleeping without a home.

There are also 112 apartments being constructed in East Perth on the corner of Hill and Wellington Streets.



In a previous story, a 78-year-old former industrial worker struggling to make ends meet has been forced to sleep in her car.

She felt that she had no other choice, as she had no family left in the country. You can read more about her story here.

Key Takeaways

  • Sharon has been living in unsatisfactory conditions in her public housing home, which is flooded and full of mould.
  • Despite reporting the issues to authorities in October and some minor repair attempts, problems such as cracked floorboards, constant flooding, and mould remain.
  • Sharon, who suffers from emphysema, says that the mould in the home is adversely affecting her health.
  • Housing Minister John Carey acknowledged the issues but stated that complex matters may take longer to solve and that efforts are being made to cope with the growing demand for public housing in the state.

Members, what do you think of the current public housing situation? Let us know in the comments below.
Since the Libs sold most public housing and show no mercy to poor people even those who finally got a place don’t count when it comes to health
 
  • Like
Reactions: IAN3005 and PattiB
Content Warning: This article contains distressing details about severe living conditions and challenges faced by individuals in public housing, which may be emotionally sensitive for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

In this day and age, one would hope that poor living conditions would be tales from a bygone era.

However, some in our society are still grappling with this harsh reality.

Recently, a case turned heads in Perth where a great-grandmother revealed the shocking state of her public housing.



Sharon (not her real name), 58, is a great-grandmother and domestic violence survivor, and she describes her living situation as an absolute nightmare.

She said her ‘beautiful’ home is slowly turning into ‘wrack and ruin’.


View attachment 35463
Sharon struggles to live in her home in Perth. Credit: Unsplash



Her home has cracked floors, ruined skirting boards, and a mould problem that has been severely exacerbating her emphysema and other health issues.

Her home is also constantly flooding–even it isn't raining.

In an attempt to fix these problems, she reported them in early October; her home received a ‘lick of paint’, and a fan was installed.

Unfortunately, the tradesperson who did the labour broke her washing machine, which remains unusable.



Despite the efforts to fix the mould problem, Sharon believes the mould is returning. According to 7News, a health inspector’s assessment of her residence said the mould was ‘likely to increase exponentially’.

In addition, problems like cracked floorboards and flooding are also unaddressed as of late November.

'There's water pouring into my spare room everywhere,' Sharon said.

'Into the wardrobe, on the floor, coming down the passage...I'm having to put towels down, and they're all soaking wet.’

‘It's a danger that I slip over,’ she added.

Sharon was informed that she may need to wait a few weeks for the rest of her house’s problems to be fixed.

Someone would be at her home by December 5.

‘And I’m thinking “Well, I’ll need a row boat,”’ she scoffed.

Sharon’s living conditions were ‘crazy’, according to Sue (not her real name), her close friend.

‘It’s just been like a living nightmare for her,’ Sue said.



According to Western Australia Housing Minister John Carey, there is a 24-hour response time for emergency issues, but ‘more complex matters’ may take longer, and multiple days of work may also be required.

‘We do everything we can,’ Carey said.

‘We have 36,000 properties in the system.’

But the demand for public housing in the state is growing—with 35 beds at the converted Murray Hotel in West Perth filling up fast.

The service is part of the Housing First supported accommodation model of the government—which is also now housing 109 people sleeping without a home.

There are also 112 apartments being constructed in East Perth on the corner of Hill and Wellington Streets.



In a previous story, a 78-year-old former industrial worker struggling to make ends meet has been forced to sleep in her car.

She felt that she had no other choice, as she had no family left in the country. You can read more about her story here.

Key Takeaways

  • Sharon has been living in unsatisfactory conditions in her public housing home, which is flooded and full of mould.
  • Despite reporting the issues to authorities in October and some minor repair attempts, problems such as cracked floorboards, constant flooding, and mould remain.
  • Sharon, who suffers from emphysema, says that the mould in the home is adversely affecting her health.
  • Housing Minister John Carey acknowledged the issues but stated that complex matters may take longer to solve and that efforts are being made to cope with the growing demand for public housing in the state.

Members, what do you think of the current public housing situation? Let us know in the comments below.
there is a labor govt in that state that imprisons children in adult prisons to suit there ego so how can any expect a govt like that to care about elderly people in any kind of housing let alone homes they own
 
I might be a bit naive, but doesn't the government have insurance on their public buildings for rain, storm damage etc.
If so, why doesn't insurance fix the building problems. it doesn't sound like it's all maintenance related. As far as interior goes, I expect you still need to insure your own contents.
Perhaps some sort of a strata system would resolve their issues.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gsr
Content Warning: This article contains distressing details about severe living conditions and challenges faced by individuals in public housing, which may be emotionally sensitive for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

In this day and age, one would hope that poor living conditions would be tales from a bygone era.

However, some in our society are still grappling with this harsh reality.

Recently, a case turned heads in would a great-grandmother revealed the shocking state of her public housing.



Sharon (not her real name), 58, is a great-grandmother and domestic violence survivor, and she describes her living situation as an absolute nightmare.

She said her ‘beautiful’ home is slowly turning into ‘wrack and ruin’.


View attachment 35463
Sharon struggles to live in her home in Perth. Credit: Unsplash



Her home has cracked floors, ruined skirting boards, and a mould problem that has been severely exacerbating her emphysema and other health issues.

Her home is also constantly flooding–even it isn't raining.

In an attempt to fix these problems, she reported them in early October; her home received a ‘lick of paint’, and a fan was installed.

Unfortunately, the tradesperson who did the labour broke her washing machine, which remains unusable.



Despite the efforts to fix the mould problem, Sharon believes the mould is returning. According to 7News, a health inspector’s assessment of her residence said the mould was ‘likely to increase exponentially’.

In addition, problems like cracked floorboards and flooding are also unaddressed as of late November.

'There's water pouring into my spare room everywhere,' Sharon said.

'Into the wardrobe, on the floor, coming down the passage...I'm having to put towels down, and they're all soaking wet.’

‘It's a danger that I slip over,’ she added.

Sharon was informed that she may need to wait a few weeks for the rest of her house’s problems to be fixed.

Someone would be at her home by December 5.

‘And I’m thinking “Well, I’ll need a row boat,”’ she scoffed.

Sharon’s living conditions were ‘crazy’, according to Sue (not her real name), her close friend.

‘It’s just been like a living nightmare for her,’ Sue said.



According to Western Australia Housing Minister John Carey, there is a 24-hour response time for emergency issues, but ‘more complex matters’ may take longer, and multiple days of work may also be required.

‘We do everything we can,’ Carey said.

‘We have 36,000 properties in the system.’

But the demand for public housing in the state is growing—with 35 beds at the converted Murray Hotel in West Perth filling up fast.

The service is part of the Housing First supported accommodation model of the government—which is also now housing 109 people sleeping without a home.

There are also 112 apartments being constructed in East Perth on the corner of Hill and Wellington Streets.



In a previous story, a 78-year-old former industrial worker struggling to make ends meet has been forced to sleep in her car.

She felt that she had no other choice, as she had no family left in the country. You can read more about her story here.

Key Takeaways

  • Sharon has been living in unsatisfactory conditions in her public housing home, which is flooded and full of mould.
  • Despite reporting the issues to authorities in October and some minor repair attempts, problems such as cracked floorboards, constant flooding, and mould remain.
  • Sharon, who suffers from emphysema, says that the mould in the home is adversely affecting her health.
  • Housing Minister John Carey acknowledged the issues but stated that complex matters may take longer to solve and that efforts are being made to cope with the growing demand for public housing in the state.

Members, what do you think of the current public housing situation? Let us know in the comments below.
You would think that the government would do everything in its power to main its publuc housing to a high standard.
They need to have a quality, high standards contract with perhaps a housing trust to run these homes and maintain them.
My mother in the UK lived in a small retirement bungalow with a small front and back garden. There were 22 of these bungalows around a green. It was beautiful. She had to have a double hip replacement so social services came in to assess her living arrangements. They said the kitchen needed to be replaced so the work benches were lower (she was 4ft 10ins and used a walker. The bathroom needed to be gutted because she obviously could no longer use a bath. New shower was installed with a seat rails and the bathroom floor was replaced with non-slip surface. The toilet was replaced and rails placed to help her.
As they had to do all this work they said they'd replace the roof as it would need to be done in a couple of years anyway.
Her gas fire was replaced and central heating checked and that was safety checked every 12 months.

All this was done speedily and with the minimum of inconvenience to my Mum and at absolutely no cost. And my mum hadn't even asked for anything! The social worker in the hospital contacts the Council/Housing Trust and reports everything.

They built ramps for the disabled so they could drive their scooters straight into the sheds they all had without negotiating steps.

Now my mum may have been lucky with her particular Council and Housing Trust but
this is the way public housing should be run. Top notch maintenance so it doesn't crumble into disrepair and is always in good condition for the next tenant and only needs decorating/repainting.
 
You would think that the government would do everything in its power to main its publuc housing to a high standard.
They need to have a quality, high standards contract with perhaps a housing trust to run these homes and maintain them.
My mother in the UK lived in a small retirement bungalow with a small front and back garden. There were 22 of these bungalows around a green. It was beautiful. She had to have a double hip replacement so social services came in to assess her living arrangements. They said the kitchen needed to be replaced so the work benches were lower (she was 4ft 10ins and used a walker. The bathroom needed to be gutted because she obviously could no longer use a bath. New shower was installed with a seat rails and the bathroom floor was replaced with non-slip surface. The toilet was replaced and rails placed to help her.
As they had to do all this work they said they'd replace the roof as it would need to be done in a couple of years anyway.
Her gas fire was replaced and central heating checked and that was safety checked every 12 months.

All this was done speedily and with the minimum of inconvenience to my Mum and at absolutely no cost. And my mum hadn't even asked for anything! The social worker in the hospital contacts the Council/Housing Trust and reports everything.

They built ramps for the disabled so they could drive their scooters straight into the sheds they all had without negotiating steps.

Now my mum may have been lucky with her particular Council and Housing Trust but
this is the way public housing should be run. Top notch maintenance so it doesn't crumble into disrepair and is always in good condition for the next tenant and only needs decorating/repainting.
As they should,these people built their country 💐
 
You would think that the government would do everything in its power to main its publuc housing to a high standard.
They need to have a quality, high standards contract with perhaps a housing trust to run these homes and maintain them.
My mother in the UK lived in a small retirement bungalow with a small front and back garden. There were 22 of these bungalows around a green. It was beautiful. She had to have a double hip replacement so social services came in to assess her living arrangements. They said the kitchen needed to be replaced so the work benches were lower (she was 4ft 10ins and used a walker. The bathroom needed to be gutted because she obviously could no longer use a bath. New shower was installed with a seat rails and the bathroom floor was replaced with non-slip surface. The toilet was replaced and rails placed to help her.
As they had to do all this work they said they'd replace the roof as it would need to be done in a couple of years anyway.
Her gas fire was replaced and central heating checked and that was safety checked every 12 months.

All this was done speedily and with the minimum of inconvenience to my Mum and at absolutely no cost. And my mum hadn't even asked for anything! The social worker in the hospital contacts the Council/Housing Trust and reports everything.

They built ramps for the disabled so they could drive their scooters straight into the sheds they all had without negotiating steps.

Now my mum may have been lucky with her particular Council and Housing Trust but
this is the way public housing should be run. Top notch maintenance so it doesn't crumble into disrepair and is always in good condition for the next tenant and only needs decorating/repainting.
The WEF and the WHO in their wonderous ideas of a one world government dont want to have the Elderly and anyone who becomes or already are a drain on society so they want us dead.... hence the JAB of the BIOWEAPON where over 20 Billion world wide have died from it, All governments are following these ideas so creating delays in fixing any problems like this is part of the plan hoping that we die sooner than expected.... look into it and find out for your self
 
  • Angry
Reactions: marni
The WEF and the WHO in their wonderous ideas of a one world government dont want to have the Elderly and anyone who becomes or already are a drain on society so they want us dead.... hence the JAB of the BIOWEAPON where over 20 Billion world wide have died from it, All governments are following these ideas so creating delays in fixing any problems like this is part of the plan hoping that we die sooner than expected.... look into it and find out for your self
Tipsy is clearly more than you site name. Instead you put the link to your 'evidence' on the comments. Hopefully it's not just a Sky after dark link. Curiosity does require me to ask WHAT you think the population of the work is? In reality there probably hasn't been 20Billion people on the earth in the existence of a populations. The earth population didn't hit 1 Billion until the 1800's. Time for top up yet Tipsy?
 
Last edited:
Tipsy is clearly more than you site name. Instead you put the link to your 'evidence' on the comments. Hopefully it's not just a Sky after dark link.
So you cant read.... I wrote the GO LOOK FOR YOURSELF, But I guess some would rather let someone else do the work for them, others will try and decry those who write about thing like this, especially those that work for governments and such..... the internet is a wonderful place... The conclusion I have come to about your statement makes you appear to be in favour of the "One World Order"... I will be sticking to my Opinion regardless of what anyone says or thinks....
 
So you cant read.... I wrote the GO LOOK FOR YOURSELF, But I guess some would rather let someone else do the work for them, others will try and decry those who write about thing like this, especially those that work for governments and such..... the internet is a wonderful place... The conclusion I have come to about your statement makes you appear to be in favour of the "One World Order"... I will be sticking to my Opinion regardless of what anyone says or thinks....
Must be that blurred alcohol induced vision. AS I SUGGESTED YOU PUT THE LINK OF YOUR BULLS#!T idea or is it difficult to find a link for those voices you appear to be hearing in your head.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mazzs1950
Many years ago, when I was a child, a man knocked on our front door. Mum opened the door to a man standing there, telling her the end of the world was coming. There was only a short time left to get things sorted. I remember the concerned conversation around the table. Worried like the kids today.
Well, Mum's gone, and I still haven't seen the end of the world. Suppose I'll see it when I'm dead.
 
Many years ago ,when I was a child ,a man knocked on our front door. Mum opened the door to a man standing there, telling her the end of the world was coming. There was only a short time left to get things sorted. I remember the concerned conversation around the table. Worried like the kids today.
Well, Mum's gone and I still haven't seen the end of the world. Suppose I'll see it when I'm dead.
 

Join the conversation

News, deals, games, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.

Seniors Discount Club

The SDC searches for the best deals, discounts, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.
  1. New members
  2. Jokes & fun
  3. Photography
  4. Nostalgia / Yesterday's Australia
  5. Food and Lifestyle
  6. Money Saving Hacks
  7. Offtopic / Everything else

Latest Articles

  • We believe that retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy life, not worry about money. That's why we're here to help our members make the most of their retirement years. If you're over 60 and looking for ways to save money, connect with others, and have a laugh, we’d love to have you aboard.
  • Advertise with us

User Menu

Enjoyed Reading our Story?

  • Share this forum to your loved ones.
Change Weather Postcode×
Change Petrol Postcode×