23/09/2025
When I was pregnant, I lived in a rental that began to sprout black mould across the windows and walls. I begged for help.
The property manager’s advice? “Just bleach it.”
Their fix? Bring in fans to dry the place out, seal a leaking bathroom, and move on.
The landlord’s choice? Sell the unit, knowing full well it was toxic.
When I was pregnant, I lived in a rental that began to sprout black mould across the windows and walls. I begged for help.
The property manager’s advice? “Just bleach it.”
Their fix? Bring in fans to dry the place out, seal a leaking bathroom, and move on.
The landlord’s choice? Sell the unit, knowing full well it was toxic.
I carried my daughter in that poisoned space.
She screamed for the first six months of her life.
She had dark circles under her eyes before she could even crawl.
I was in and out of hospital, my body collapsing under the weight of inflammation, asthma, fainting, and pain.
This isn’t “bad luck.” This is what happens when:
🏚️ Landlords cut corners.
🏥 Doctors dismiss symptoms.
⚖️ Laws fail to protect families from long-term harm.
Black mould isn’t a stain to scrub away. It’s a toxin that infiltrates lungs, guts, hearts, and lives. And families like mine are paying the price.
Black mould isn’t just ugly. It’s toxic.
The same mycotoxins that infest homes have been studied for use in chemical warfare because they infiltrate the body and destroy from the inside out.
What does black mould do? It hijacks your immune system:
• Mast cells go into overdrive → triggering rashes, hives, swelling, anaphylaxis-like reactions.
• Inflammation surges → joints ache, muscles burn, fatigue becomes crushing.
• White blood cells spike → the body stays stuck in fight mode, never recovering.
• Nervous system crashes → fainting, heart palpitations, anxiety, brain fog.
• Digestive tract breaks down → leaky gut, chronic pain, food intolerances.
• Respiratory system collapses → asthma, wheezing, shortness of breath.
Sound familiar? These are the very same symptoms now tied to skyrocketing diagnoses of MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), and other autoimmune disorders that are appearing in younger and younger people.
And where’s mould thriving? In our rentals. In our homes. In schools, childcare centres, workplaces. Families are breathing it in every day, often without knowing until it’s too late.
The cost to even prove it?
💰 $400+ for a basic mould test.
💰 Thousands more for remediation.
💰 Countless in lost wages, medical bills, and years of health.
Meanwhile:
🏚️ Landlords tell tenants to “bleach it.”
🏥 Doctors dismiss women as anxious, not sick.
⚖️ Laws give just 3 years to sue, ignoring the fact mould toxins destroy bodies over decades.
This isn’t one tenant’s story. This is a public health crisis hiding in plain sight.
It’s time to demand:
✅ Law reform to reflect chronic, delayed illnesses.
✅ Medical training to recognise environmental illness.
✅ Accountability for landlords and agents who profit while tenants suffer.
Families should not have to bankrupt themselves to prove they are being poisoned in their own homes.
If you’ve lived through mould illness — your voice matters. Share your story. Together we are stronger, and together we can’t be ignored.
