Moving to mitigate against damp and mould

With the dangers of damp and mould in residential buildings being a significant news story of late, it’s unsurprising that we’ve seen a significant increase in damp and mould requests on the Plentific platform in recent months. The increased awareness of the issue has prompted a spike in tenant requests highlighting the need for housing providers to act quickly to assess whether they are meeting key safety standards to avoid risking legal ramifications. There are several steps housing associations and contractors can take to minimise the risk of damp and mould spreading and causing significant issues for tenants. Equally, its important tenants take certain steps to create an environment where mould, although sometimes difficult to avoid, is suppressed. Housing Associations will invest significantly in the issue over the coming year. Our clients understand the need to move quickly to address any issues around damp and mould, regardless of the cost. With legislation surrounding the issue currently under review, its likely mandatory safety levels around damp will rise. Associations should move to get ahead of new policies to ensure their properties are fit for purpose. For example, L&Q are undertaking ‘Healthy Home Assessments’ to install sensors which monitor and manage the issue. It is only a matter of time until legislation legalises the measures many providers have started to implement so delaying investment is futile. Damp and mould is an avoidable issue and in the winter months, action is needed to ensure conditions don’t escalate. A recent English Housing Survey Report showed 55% of residents reported damp, condensation and mould to be the biggest issues facing tenants. This has also been our experience at Plentific, with November requests for damp and mould work orders increasing by 300% from September. December saw a further record 1,121 work orders for damp and mould raised on the platform. Furthermore, the private sector is currently behind in addressing the issue. According to the 2019-20 English Housing Survey, serious condensation and mould problems were present in at least one room in 133,000 (3%) social sector homes and 192,000 (5%) of homes lacked thermal comfort. Although damp and mould is not specifically mentioned in relation to private rented sector (PRS) properties, the survey does note that the PRS had the highest proportion of non-decent homes (23%, 1.1 million). In comparison, the social housing sector had the lowest proportion of non-decent homes (12%, 504,000). Damp and mould can also be exacerbated by tenant habits, so an acceptance of mutual responsibility between tenants and landlords is critical to tackling the issue. There are several factors that can worsen damp and mould. A major aspect of the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK is rising energy bills. To offset these costs many tenants have been forced to reduce their energy consumption by turning on their heating less frequently and for shorter periods. Keeping a house warm, alongside proper ventilation, is one of the main ways to tackle damp and mould but the pressures facing many people due to higher energy prices mean that this is no longer possible for everyone. A recent study from the UK Housing Ombudsman detailed the correlation between fuel poverty in the UK and damp and mould and while energy prices remain high, this will remain an issue that needs to be addressed. Tenants have also spent increasing amounts of time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent working patterns. This can lead to increased levels of condensation and so ensuring the property has ample ventilation is key, this can be as simple as opening windows regularly. This is particularly key in bathrooms, kitchens and other areas with higher levels of condensation. Mould is also worsened by too many tenants living in one space so it’s important this is carefully regulated to ensure living spaces are safe. Tenant to landlord communication is critical in ensuring issues do not escalate and the feedback loop between parties is closed. Damp and mould is often a by-product of wider property disrepair, for example, the result of a leaking roof. Accommodation needs to be regularly assessed for repairs and tenants should flag issues as soon as they arise. Landlords are held responsible for ensuring that properties are fit for human habitation at the start and during a given tenancy agreement. One of the factors that determines if a property is fit for human habitation is “freedom from damp”. Should damp and mould be present, this can amount to a category 1 hazard, as per the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. While the issue is a prevalent one it is also resolvable, and tenants and landlords need to work together to ensure properties meet safe living standards. The key to mitigating against mould is acting early. Tenants should communicate damp at the earliest signs and landlords need to commit to resolving requests in a timely manner. UK legislation is moving in the right direction to ensure damp and mould cannot escalate to a point where there are serious implications for tenants. The housing sector must now move to mitigate against damp and many housing associations have already made big investments to meet this with more following suit. Byline: Cem Savas, CEO and Co-Founder, Plentific

Moving to mitigate against damp and mould

Damp and mould is an avoidable issue and in the winter months, action is needed to ensure conditions don’t escalate

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