Industry News


Government to force landlords to tackle mouldy and hazardous homes in short timescales


S


ocial housing landlords will be forced to repair damp and mouldy homes within strict timelines as part of the Government’s


proposed legal and regulatory changes aſter a toddler’s death. Under the proposals, social landlords will be


required to investigate dangerous hazards within 14 days, start fixing them within a further seven days, and make emergency repairs within 24 hours. Landlords who fail to comply with the requirements could be taken to court where they may be ordered to pay compensation to tenants. 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 fix residents’ homes. Te statutory consultation period for the proposals closed on 5th March, so confirmation of the final details are expected soon, including a start date for the new standards and the full range of hazards covered. In addition, the Government expects that if


for any reason the landlord is unable to make the property safe with repair works or temporary measures, they must offer to temporarily rehouse the resident at the landlord’s expense. Tere 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. Te National Housing Federation commented: “In our discussions with the Government, we’ve been clear that our members support a clearer framework for tackling hazards in the home. However, these proposed measures will have practical implications for the sector.”


HEALTH RISKS On the other hand, the Royal College of Physicians has called on Michael Gove to accelerate his promised crackdown on landlords failing to fix tens of thousands of mouldy homes, with a warning that


unless laws are toughened many more people will die from the effects. Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, special adviser on


air quality to the RCP, warned of widening ill-health as more people inhale fungal toxins. He said the consequences include people suffering headaches, low energy, declining immunity and increased susceptibility among children to respiratory infections as well as deaths. Te Government is saying only that it will


deliver the promise “as soon as practically possible”. Professor Holgate said increased flooding, more householders keeping windows tightly shut to save energy and 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. Te changes are part of what is called


Awaab’s Law, an amendment to the Social Housing Regulation Act, which became law in July last year. It is named aſter Awaab Ishak, a two-year- old boy who died as a result of direct exposure to damp and mould in his Rochdale Boroughwide Housing home. 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 identified in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, such as trip hazards and difficult to heat properties. Tis could therefore affect as many as 200,000 homes in the social housing sector. Te Social Housing Regulation Act gives the


Regulator of Social Housing powers to set strict time limits for social landlords to address hazards such as damp and mould. It also gives the regulator powers to carry out regular inspections of the largest social housing providers and issue unlimited fines to rogue social landlords.


ROBUST ACTIONS Housing Secretary, Michael Gove said: “Te tragic death of Awaab Ishak should never have happened.


His family have shown courageous leadership, determination and dignity to champion these changes and now it’s time for us to deliver for them through Awaab’s Law. He described the changes as part of a stronger


and more robust set of actions against social landlords who have ‘refused to take their basic responsibilities seriously for far too long.’ “Alongside Awaab’s Law, our landmark Social


Housing Act will drastically improve the quality of life in social housing, granting residents a proper voice to fight those who think they can cheat the system and ensuring rogue landlords face the full force of the law.” Since March last year, the Housing Ombudsman


Richard Blakeway, has made 721 findings of fault in how landlords tackled damp, mould and leaks, more than for the previous 12 months and several times more than in 2020/21. About 88,000 households in social housing are believed by the regulator to be living with serious damp and mould problems. Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa said


it was crucial the proposals had “teeth” and were properly enforced. “Many families across the country are still living in homes with damp and mould, creating misery but more worryingly risks (to) their health and safety. I’m pleased to see Awaab’s Law reach the consultation phase and hope that it goes far enough to prevent other families going through the tragedy Awaab’s family have had to.” Te latest English Housing Survey data,


published in July 2023, found that damp and mould affect 177,000 social sector homes, but residents also face other severe problems. BRE, the built environment research body, estimates that around 217,000 social rented homes are blighted by a range of dangerous health and safety hazards. Te people who live in them, and suffer the consequences, require treatment by the NHS that costs around £65 million a year.


Regulator downgrades two HAs over viability concerns


Te Regulator of Social Housing has downgraded the financial viability gradings of North Yorkshire- based Broadacres Housing Association and the English Rural Housing Association from V1 to V2, stating that their “capacity to respond to adverse events” is impacted. In its published judgements, the regulator said


that Broadacres is investing in improving the quality and energy efficiency of its existing homes, while


also developing new homes, including homes for sale, “exposing Broadacres in the short term to housing market risk”. Te assessment indicated that Broadacres’


financial performance is affected by its efforts to build new homes, while investing in existing stock, especially in the context of inflation and interest rate fluctuations. Broadacres owns and manages around 6,600


homes in North Yorkshire and is aiming to deliver 1,000 new homes in the five years to March 2028. Te regulator stated that 1,250-home English


Rural’s financial profile has weakened due to increased interest costs associated with continued debt-funded development and ongoing investment in its existing homes, which have reduced margins and financial headroom on funder interest cover covenants.


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMFebruary/March 2024 | 5


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52