An elderly disabled woman said she and her son have been driven out of their home by 'black mould' as she uses her savings to pay for hotels and vows never to return.

Patricia Ann Hobby says she and her son have been staying in hotels 'off and on' for the last two months including Premier Inn in Worcester because of 'black mould' in her home in Meadow Walk in Pershore.

However, her landlord Rooftop Housing Group, said the property has been inspected and is currently habitable.

A spokesperson said the issue of damp and mould has been identified as 'minor' and work is set to be carried out later this month.

HOTEL: David Hobby and mum Patricia Hobby are paying for hotels because they claim their home in Pershore has 'black mould' although Rooftop Housing Group  say it is habitable (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

The 84-year-old, who is now staying at the Premier Inn in New Road, said she and her son, 58-year-old David Hobby, had also been staying in other hotels, including one in Weston-super-Mare.

She said she would be asking her landlord, Rooftop Housing, to reimburse her for the costs of the hotels. 

"We're not moving back. I'm not going back in that house. I should not be treated like this. The people here at Premier Inn are absolutely lovely. I feel very sad about what has happened," said Mrs Hobby.

When we spoke to her on Friday she said she had been in the Premier Inn nine days, costing £900 but said she expected she would have to pay for another week.

Mrs Hobby said she had broken her back in a fall at home which meant she had to go to Worcestershire Royal Hospital and also suffered from heart problems.

RECOMMENDED READING: Kempsey 'house of dead rats': couple STILL in Travelodge

RECOMMENDED READING: Brookthrope Close broken lift: Gran treated 'like an animal'

Claire Lees, Rooftop Housing's executive director – operations, said: “As a housing provider we have a responsibility to ensure our residents' homes are safe, sound and secure, and that maintenance is completed within our target timescales.

"This particular issue of damp and mould was reported to us in July 2024 and once inspected was found to be minor. Work to address the issue is being carried out on August 23, and the property is currently habitable.

"The issue of damp and mould in our homes is something that we take extremely seriously. There are many ways in which it can become a problem, so we have published an in-depth guide on our website to support our residents in minimising the risks associated, and to provide a simple way of reporting issues to us."