Grovedale mum Chloe Patison tells of black mould nightmare before Christmas

A family of seven has been forced out of their home just weeks before Christmas after potentially lethal levels of black mould were found throughout their property.

Chloe and Steven Patison with kids Ariarna, 14, Sunny, 7, and Olivia, 7. Picture: Mark Wilson

A family of seven has been forced out of their home just weeks before Christmas after the property was found to be riddled with potentially lethal levels of toxic mould.

Geelong mum Chloe Patison has told of a nightmare ordeal that forced her partner to quit his job due to chronic sickness they now believe was caused by a dangerous build-up of black mould hiding behind walls and under floors.

They’ve rented the Grovedale home since 2021 and have taken their plight up with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and Consumer Affairs Victoria due to concerns over their rights as tenants.

“It has been hell – a real black Christmas that we were not expecting,” Ms Patison said.

They first discovered mould in a “patched-up” broken bathroom tile but quickly discovered it in the master bedroom, under the carpet and in the linen cupboard of the 1980s brick house.

“We knew something wasn’t right,” she said.

“We thought maybe it was just isolated to the bathroom and around that area, but we were horribly wrong.”

Ms Patison hired a mould investigator, who recommended a spore trap analysis be conducted on the home.

The laboratory test results shocked the young mum, with the spore count in her son’s bedroom found to be more than 90 times the safe range.

“The count was 98499 per cubic metre,” she said.

“We left immediately.”

The normal and safe level of mould ecology is under 1000, according to Dr Cameron Jones from Biological Health Services.

Ms Patison has since been advised their furniture and belongings inside the home – valued at an estimated $25,000 – would need to be moved on or destroyed due to exposure.

It’s alleged the landlord began completing works on the bathroom despite being advised against it by the tenants due to the health concerns.

He has been contacted for comment.

“We made up our minds – we could not be there anymore, it is not safe and the place needs a proper overhaul not just patch-up jobs,” she said.

Her husband, who worked in the disability support sector, stopped his job in February after suffering from extreme fatigue, headaches and neurological symptoms.

There are several signs of black mould illness, according to the state government’s Better Health Channel, including flu-like symptoms such as coughing, dry skin, itchy eyes, nose and throat, or just a runny nose and sneezing.

“Our family has definitely suffered because of the conditions we have been living under,” Ms Patison said.

“We have all had symptoms of exposure to toxic mould but it has been hard to acknowledge it.

“The kids have all been constantly sick with sinus issues, sore ears, sore eyes, skin rashes and headaches that last for weeks.”

With five children, the couple have been forced to split responsibilities, with Ms Patison moving in with her mum and two kids, while her partner has taken the others to his parents in Colac.

A Go Fund Me has been established to assist the family, which as of midday Monday had raised $2728.

Their battle comes after a Lara family’s son was diagnosed with a myriad of chronic health complaints and diseases after being exposed to black mould inside his family home.

Originally published as Grovedale mum Chloe Patison tells of black mould nightmare before Christmas