A "weird dripping noise" has turned into a year-long nightmare for a Melbourne family whose rental property has been overrun by black mould.

It was only a week after Joe and Amber Powell moved into their two-bedroom unit in Footscray with their two young kids that they noticed a leak in their bathroom "eating away at the drywall".

It has since become a full-blown infestation, getting so bad they need to hand-clean each week and have been unable to sleep in the main bedroom.

READ MORE: Mould and rental rights: What to do when you find mould in your home

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