Stephen Mulhern said he was unaware of the state of the property until contacte by the Big Issue and has promised to take action. Image: Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images; Insets: Supplied
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Catchphrase presenter Stephen Mulhern has promised to fix a property he rents out in Leicester after his tenants were left living with damp and mould for two years.
Mulhern is one of the UK’s most prominent television presenters but away from the small screen he has amassed a £4m property empire.
One of his tenants – who wished to remain anonymous – contacted the Big Issue out of desperation after their physical and mental health suffered. The tenant, a key worker during the Covid pandemic, said the situation had left them “bitter and alienated” and furious at Mulhern.
“We worked our butts off as key workers during Covid – my housemate for the NHS, and I in a factory producing disposable plastic accessories for hospitals, pulling extra shifts. And for what? Virtue-signalling claps? Who tunes in to watch and support Stephen Mulhern while we’re paying him rent to live in squalor? It leaves me bitter and alienated,” said the tenant.
One of the tenants told the Big Issue the mould at their home had left them with respiratory issues and the situation had affected their mental health. Image: Supplied
“It has turned me into a gloomy, rather dour person. I used to love playing football and exercising regularly – that was my outlet. However, I’ve lost all interest in physical activity, which is especially unfortunate given that my job requires sitting in front of a computer for 40 hours a week. I’ve become more irritable, and my focus has slipped, leading to frustrating mistakes at work.”
After being confronted by the Big Issue, Mulhern said he was unaware of the state of the property – he is paying an independent management company to look after it. Mulher said he was “absolutely mortified” by the situation and promised to fix it as a “matter of urgency”.
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Mulhern owns a property firm called JFDI Productions with assets worth £4.2m, according to the most recent accounts lodged with Companies House.
JFDI Productions purchased the bungalow in the Glen Parva area of Leicester in April 2020 for £165,000, Land Registry records show, before refurbishing it and renting it out to the tenant and their flatmate.
The pair, who pay £775 a month to rent the property, first noticed a problem with damp and mould at the property during an annual inspection with management agent Connells a couple of years ago.
The tenant insists they have since complained multiple times to Connells but the issue was not solved and continued to get worse. Connells has been contacted for comment by the Big Issue.
Pictures shared with the Big Issue show walls covered in damp and mould throughout the property.
Problems with mould were first discovered at the property more than two years ago but the situation has got worse over that time. Image: Supplied
“My housemate pointed out the damp issue during an annual inspection two or three years ago,” said the tenant.
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“The agent merely recommended that we ventilate properly and keep the house warm during the winter. We did, but the damp gradually worsened. We remained patient, sending polite emails at first. In later conversations, my remarks became a bit sharper.”
A humidity meter bought by one the tenants showed high levels of humidity in the property. Image: Supplied
The tenant said that reading about the tragic case of Awaab Ishak – the Rochdale toddler who died after exposure to mould in his family home – in the pages of the Big Issue triggered concerns for their health.
They bought a humidity meter for the property that showed moisture levels between 70% and 80% and that convinced the management agency to install a positive input ventilation system, but this only alleviated the problem briefly.
When the news regarding the state of properties rented out by Labour MP Jas Athwal broke in August, the tenant decided that enough was enough. Athwal said he was “profoundly sorry” after a BBC story revealed black mould and ant infestations in flats he rents out.
“A few more emails, promises, and half a year later, still no sufficient actions taken, when I read the news about Labour MP Jas Athwal—another ghastly worm of the society— I decided it was time to escalate the issue to the media,” they said. “After all, Steve Mulhern isn’t a low-paid, once key worker during the Covid crisis like my housemate and myself.”
Damp and mould is more prevalent in private rented properties than other types of housing tenure. Image: Supplied
Representatives for Stephen Mulhern told the Big Issue: “Firstly, Stephen wanted to say thank you very much for bringing this to his attention. He is extremely grateful.
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“Prior to being contacted, he had not been made aware of any of these issues as he relies entirely on an independent company who manages the property on his behalf. He is absolutely mortified to learn about this situation and the awful experience the tenant has faced which is clearly unacceptable.
“Having not been aware of the issues until today, Stephen has taken this matter into his own hands immediately and has personally requested for a team of damp specialists to visit the property to make sure that the problems with the ventilation and mould are resolved as a matter of urgency.
“We will be contacting the tenant to express sincere apologies for the distress and frustration the management of this matter has caused. This falls way below the standards Stephen expects and he is doing everything possible to remedy this ASAP.”
Photos from the property show mould on walls and wardrobes. Image: Supplied
The state of private rented homes has been on the news agenda in recent weeks.
At Labour’s Party conference, housing secretary Angela Rayner promised “decent homes for all”.
Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill will introduce a decent homes standard and extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector. Meanwhile, energy secretary Ed Miliband announced that landlords would be required to upgrade properties to make them more energy efficient by 2030.
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Stephen Mulhern’s tenant told the Big Issue that landlords like the TV presenter and Athwal must do more to prevent their tenants from living in squalor.
Mulhern told the Big Issue he was ‘mortified’ at images of damp and mould at the property. Image: Supplied
“I despise how little they seem to care. The landlord is a millionaire, profiting off our misery. Stephen Mulhern, Jas Athwal and their ilk are all part of the same system that treats tenants like disposable income streams,” they said.
“My home is Hungary, and I am now planning to return there. The property we are renting will hopefully become someone’s home one day. It would be selfish to think only of myself and the state of this property. This isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a national one.
“Sorting out the damp in the property is the bare minimum. I also want compensation for the misery and anxiety it has caused me personally, along with stricter legislation at the national level to prevent others from suffering the same fate.”
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