Alan Blackham claims he has mould on the walls at his house on Princes Street and says he wants the council to treat the property for damp.

However Broxtowe Borough Council insists the problem is caused by condensation rather than damp and has offered to wash down the walls and give him a voucher towards his decorating costs.

The 54-year-old said he has had to redecorate every six months for years and his wife has got obsessive compulsive disorder and depression, both of which are made worse by the problem.

He explained: "I can't see how it's condensation when there are two vents in the bedroom door upstairs to allow air to circulate.

"They say it's condensation caused by using the tumble dryer and cooker but that's like basically saying 'don't live in your house'," he said.

"When you open the door to the stairs you can smell it. We want a new carpet but I daren't buy one because it will just ruin.

"It's been going on for years and it's about time the council did something about it."

At the end of last year, a council inspector visited the property and suggested either putting a machine in the loft to draw out moisture or putting a radiator at the bottom of the stairs, where the problem was particularly bad.

A council spokesperson said: "We are aware of the problem raised by Mr Blackham and are already working with the tenant to resolve this. A further meeting with the tenant has been planned to help him tackle the issue."