SINGLE father Matthew Alfred asked for help tackling his home's mould problem but said he was left with a 2ft hole in his bedroom and no answers.
The 23-year-old and his son Cody, five, have taken to sleeping in his Stapleford council flat's living room because the problem is so bad.
The customer services adviser says he has been "fighting a losing battle" with damp since he moved into the two-bedroomed home in Montrose Court in December.
On Thursday, staff from Broxtowe Borough Council dug an exploratory hole in Mr Alfred's ground-floor bedroom to try to find the cause of the damp – but left before filling it in. He said: "It has got to the point that all our bedclothes are damp so we have to sleep in the living room on the floor.
"The hole in my bedroom is the size of a washing machine and they just left it.
"I am disappointed because it is not just me – I have a five-year-old and they have a duty of care to us.
"The mould has spread everywhere, including my son's toys. They keep coming and having a look but nothing is ever done."
Neighbouring properties have also experienced similar problems. Natalie Huffen lives next door. The 25-year-old care worker said: "My whole back wall is damp again. The council came about six months ago and re-plastered but it has gone back to the way it was.
"I had to take my carpet up because it was so bad and it ruined all my furniture.
"My clothes are all damp and smell all the time again."
Mr Alfred's mother, Caroline Alfred, 46, of Maryland Court, Stapleford, said: "The council used a pneumatic drill to dig a hole in the bedroom floor and they covered it with a board and just left it.
"It is just not right to do that now the colder weather is setting in, even for a day."
The Post contacted Broxtowe Borough Council a yesterday afternoon and was told the hole would be filled by the end of the day. The work was done at 4pm but workmen told Mr Alfred that they couldn't get a seal and had to finish the job with polythene under the concrete.
A spokesman said: "The council has been working extensively with Mr Alfred to alleviate his family's situation at Montrose Court and find the cause of the damp problem.
"We are currently looking at various options to improve the situation.
"Housing officers visited Mr Alfred's home to assess the situation and determine whether temporary accommodation was required and found that the bedroom was suitable to be used and slept in."
