Industry News
News Editor Patrick Mooney
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Editor’s comment
Links between housing and health brought into sharp focus
Patrick Mooney, News Editor
As we enter the fi nal few months before the General Election is held, thoughts are turning to which policies, plans and targets will make it into the manifestos of the political parties. Indeed housing could be an important battleground over which signifi cant diff erences might be identifi ed and fought over. It will be a race against time for the Rent (Reform) Bill to see if it can get passed all of its Parliamentary stages and onto the statute books before the election is called. Both the Conservatives and Labour are committed to the reform of Section 21 (dealing with no fault evictions) so there are reasonable grounds for optimism that a deal can be done. Another piece of legislation that is likely to get over the line is the long awaited Awaab’s Law, which sets a series of tough
targets for social landlords in terms of fi xing major problems such as mould and damp in tenants’ homes within strict timelines. Under the proposals, social landlords will be required to investigate dangerous hazards within 14 days, start fi xing them within a further seven days, and make emergency repairs within 24 hours. Landlords who fail to comply with the requirements can be taken to court where they may be ordered to pay compensation to tenants. Michael Gove announced that housing providers will be required to keep clear records, “showing every attempt” to comply with the timescales so they can no longer “dither and delay” to fi x residents’ homes. T e statutory consultation period for the proposals closes in early March, so confi rmation of the fi nal details are expected
soon, including a start date for the new standards and the full range of hazards covered. T ere may be a transition period for implementing the new rules, as many housing professionals are very concerned about the sector’s ability to meet such stringent rules in the short term. But in the opposite corner of the proverbial boxing ring, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has called on the Housing Secretary to accelerate this crackdown on landlords who fail to fi x tens of thousands of mouldy homes, with a warning that unless laws are toughened up then many more people will die from the eff ects. Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, special adviser on air quality to the RCP, warned of widening ill-health as more people
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inhale fungal toxins. T e Government is saying only that it will deliver the promise “as soon as practically possible”. Professor Holgate said increased fl ooding, more householders keeping windows tightly shut to save energy and the fungus becoming increasingly resilient to treatment – in homes as well as in the human body (as a result of widespread use of fungicides in farming) made reform more urgent. It is unclear exactly what other hazards will be included within the new requirements on social landlords, although they
are likely to include all those identifi ed in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, such as trip hazards and diffi cult to heat properties. T is could therefore aff ect as many as 200,000 homes in the social housing sector. If this fi gure is remotely accurate then the cost of completing these works will be extraordinarily high and there is no sign of the Government coming up with any funds. T is will put enormous strain on the budgets of housing associations and councils which still own their own housing. T e Housing Ombudsman is also fl exing his muscles and proving to be a real handful to social landlords who are failing to
provide decent homes and decent services in all cases. T e relatively high incidence of mouldy homes in the Ombudsman’s caseload and subsequent fi ndings of serious maladministration, are also being refl ected in the Ombudsman’s increasing use of compensation orders against landlords. I wonder how many HA Boards use the number of adjudications and fi nes when deciding on the bonuses of their senior executives? It was always anticipated Awaab’s Law would be introduced, given the strong reaction to the toddler’s death, but it
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Patrick Mooney
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HOUSING MANAGEMENT
& MAINTENANCE FEB/MAR 2024
Landlord Latest Salix Homes
Comment Boyer
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Industry Viewfi nder The Social Housing Act
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Mark Edgerley of Boyer comments on the impact of the proposed Infrastructure Levy
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was less certain that it would only apply to social landlords. Aſt erall according to the English Housing Survey’s fi ndings, conditions in the private rented sector are on average worse than in the social housing sector. Presumably this will need to be addressed at some point, but when and how are pertinent points! It is also of concern that the accommodation used to house tens of thousands of asylum seekers, will be excluded from the remit of Awaab’s Law. According to Home Offi ce data, 118,800 asylum seekers were in receipt of accommodation and support from the Home Offi ce and their contractors as of September 2023. T is accommodation is a mix of shared housing provided by landlords in the private rented sector and hotel accommodation. T e news media has reported on many problems of mould, damp and vermin infestations in such properties and many asylum seekers have claimed their poor living conditions have made them ill, particularly with lung conditions such as asthma. As you can see, the coming year will not be without its challenges!
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