Parents & children ill

Family has been living in “mold hell” for a year

On the wall next to the cupboard, on the ceiling or on the floor: severe mold infestation everywhere. Family man Amir Povlakic.

(Bild: Gerhard Bartel, Krone KREATIV)

A family of four suffers from lung problems. Their home is barely habitable due to extreme mold infestation. They turned their backs on the property management company. It is only when the "Krone" intervenes that things start to move. 

On the ceiling, on the floor, on the wall by the large cupboard - everything here is covered in green-black mold. The wallpaper is falling off and there is an acrid musty smell in the air.

The apartment in Svetelskystraße in the 11th district, where the Povlakic family has lived for more than ten years, is actually no longer usable. "At first we could use the bedroom, but now the mold is everywhere," says mother Amelia.

Everything was fine for a long time, but in spring 2023 the fungus began to eat its way through the walls. The residents - the two parents and their children (10 and 12 years old) - are now ill. Their lungs are having trouble breathing. A certificate from Simmering family doctor Dr. Ghias Kazkaz advises an "immediate change of residence". The findings have been available since the beginning of January.

But as Amela P. explains: "We've contacted the property management company Örag so many times, by phone and email. But we've never received an answer." She thinks that the roof may have leaked. Or that somehow (rain) water could be getting into the house from outside. You would think that property managers and homeowners should be interested in such things. But no.

Who is responsible?
It was only when the "Krone" newspaper got involved that things started to move. The property manager Örag says the matter is complicated. The building belongs to Erste Bank, the main tenant of this apartment is Wiener Wohnen. And according to Österreichische Realitäten-Aktiengesellschaft, nothing can be done without the consent of the main tenant.

Wiener Wohnen credibly assures the "Krone" that it knew nothing about the problem until now. "We were never informed about it," says a spokeswoman for the company. And she assures the Povlakic family of immediate help. Specialists are due to arrive in the coming days to get an idea of the situation on site. It may be possible to find alternative accommodation for those affected, at least temporarily. We'll stay tuned.