Mould at man’s home so bad he faces moving into van for winter

A man, whose leasehold house is covered in damp and mould, plans to live in a motorhome on his driveway this winter.

David Barlow, 65, bought his retirement property in Murton, Swansea, in November 2023, which is on the Gower Peninsula and near the area’s stunning beaches.

But after noticing a “horrendous black stripe” in his lounge within days of moving in, he has still not unpacked for fear damp will damage his belongings.

Despite complaining to property managers FirstPort almost two years ago, the problem has still not been resolved.

FirstPort says the problem was caused by faulty cavity wall insulation installed by British Gas 11 years ago.

But Osborne Energy, which handles British Gas’ disputes, said general maintenance issues could be to blame, and it was awaiting a response from FirstPort.

“I haven’t had a life – it’s just working, waiting and existing,” Mr Barlow said.

“I’m doing my best to keep going, but it’s really put a big hold on my life.”

Mr Barlow, originally from Sheffield, bought the property leasehold for his retirement.

This means the buyer has the right to live in it for a fixed, long-term period, but does not own the land it stands on.

The land remains the property of a freeholder, with FirstPort managing properties on the development.

Mr Barlow has now been prescribed antidepressants and sleeping tablets, and his optician suspected his persistent eye irritation may have been caused by the mould and damp.

The situation has also forced him to work away from home – staying overnight during 24-hour shifts as a children’s residential care officer.

“When I’m away, I feel fine, but the moment I drive back, it hits me again,” he added.

Now facing a third winter without a “liveable” home, Mr Barlow said he planned to take drastic action if things do not improve by the end of November.

He will move into a motorhome parked on his drive, which is plugged into the mains.

Mr Barlow described communication from FirstPort as poor.

There were also delays and conflicting messages, he added, saying it felt like he was “going around in circles like a hamster on a wheel”.

“I feel like I’ve been left totally in the dark,” Mr Barlow said.

In the past two years, 10 different managers from the company have handled his case, he said.

Despite escalating the issue through tribunals, and complaints procedures, he said he had “exhausted every avenue”.

“I love my home and don’t want to sell,” said Mr Barlow.

“I want to put down roots, but until I can live there properly, I can’t live in it.

“It’s a crazy situation.”

A spokesperson for FirstPort said it understood how “challenging this situation” had been, and was doing “everything we can to find a resolution as quickly as possible”.

Earlier this year, the company revealed that an independent survey had confirmed faulty cavity wall insulation (CWI) was installed at the development 11 years ago by British Gas.

FirstPort contacted Osborne Energy, the firm handling disputes for British Gas.

Although its initial request for remediation work was declined by Osborne Energy, it said the CWI is covered by a 25-year guarantee.

As a result, FirstPort had submitted a financial support application and was backing a group claim to secure a “cost effective and reliable outcome” for its residents.

The spokesperson said Mr Barlow’s complaint was formally addressed on 27 August 2025, and the property manager remained in weekly contact with him.

They added that FirstPort would be contacting Osborne Energy directly to discuss the information that has been shared and to determine the best path forward.

Debbie Lewis from Osborne Energy said the case began in June 2024 with a damp and mould report from Mr Barlow.

Then, in September of that year, it received a group report, that listed issues with five properties in the development.

She explained that FirstPort took over communication, instructing Osborne Energy not to contact Mr Barlow directly.

In the November, a survey commissioned by Osborne Energy identified general maintenance issues rather than insulation failure, but the report went unreviewed after a manager left, Ms Lewis said.

She added FirstPort later apologised and submitted a “visual, non-intrusive” report in July that did not “conclusively” link the damp to faulty insulation.

In September, Ms Lewis explained how Osborne Energy queried quotes submitted by FirstPort for insulation removal across seven additional properties, but was yet to receive a response.

British Gas, the original installers of the cavity wall insulation, said it had “nothing further to add to Osborne Energy’s position”.