Dublin City Council to Pay €12,500 Damages for Damp Flat to Mother of Three
A Dublin mother of three, Danielle Hogg, 34, was awarded €12,500 in damages from Dublin City Council. The court found that mould and damp in her former flat aggravated her asthma and destroyed property. The judge ruled the conditions unacceptable, despite council repair attempts.
Judge Fiona O’Sullivan in the Circuit Civil Court awarded Danielle Hogg, 34, a mother of three, €12,500 in damages from Dublin City Council. The award on Tuesday was for unacceptable living conditions in her former flat at Avondale House, North Cumberland Street, where mould and damp aggravated her asthma.
Hogg, a fitness instructor now residing in Coolock, Dublin, testified that in 2020, conditions in the flat caused breathing difficulties, coughing, and phlegm. She claimed cold, damp, and black mould throughout the apartment triggered these symptoms. Council workmen had attempted repairs, including dry-lining walls, but condensation persisted, with water running down walls and severe mould growth observed by forensic engineer Lloyd Semple, who found moisture readings of 50% in the master bedroom and 70% in her daughters’ bedroom.
Her barrister, Sharbee Morrin, had sought €60,000, including over €4,000 in special damages for destroyed property like wardrobes, bedding, and clothes. The judge awarded €10,000 for general damages and €2,500 for property loss.