Mould & Damp Proofing Feature
Heating, Ventilation & Services
Facing up to mould & damp
Wendy Thomas at Nuaire discusses the changes to regulations that social housing providers need to be aware of when addressing mould and damp and looks at different retrofit solutions available for compliance
C
ondensation and dampness in older homes during the winter months was once considered part and parcel of living in a northern climate. 38% of the UK’s housing stock is over 70 years old and suffers
from poor insulation levels and even poorer ventilation, which means that dampness remains trapped and can lead to the formation of mould. Mould has been viewed as a cosmetic issue in the past, but we now have a far greater understanding of the impacts of mould on health, including asthma, eye irritation, respiratory problems, skin reactions, headaches and, in extreme circumstances, death.
WHAT’S CHANGED? In December 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from prolonged exposure to mould in his home in Rochdale. Such was the strength of feeling, that Awaab’s Law has been introduced as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, which requires social housing landlords by law to fix damp and mould issues to strict deadlines, or rehouse tenants in safe accommodation. While the time frames within which landlords will have to act to investigate hazards and make repairs has yet to be decided, the Act will be made enforceable through a more effective
complaint process; Ofsted-style inspections by the Regulator of Social Housing have powers to issue unlimited fines to landlords who fail to meet standards. It will also mean emergency repairs can be made where serious risks to tenants are found, with landlords footing the bill.
GUIDANCE As part of this process, the government has realised that suitable guidance is not readily available to landlords. Information on different aspects of damp and mould – be it the health risks, how to treat mould, or how to prevent it forming – can be found, but not all in one easy to access place or document. As a result, ‘Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home’ was published by the Government in September 2023 aimed specifically at rented housing providers (social and private sector landlords). It clearly sets out the legal responsibilities and the serious physical and mental health risks that damp and mould pose. It also defeats the culture of blaming the tenant and their lifestyle; aſter all, if you live in a fourth floor flat, do you really have a choice about whether to dry clothes indoors or not?
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMDecember/January 2024 | 29
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