Harlow Council has welcomed the government’s proposals to crackdown on damp and mould under new legislation in memory of Awaab Ishak from Rochdale who tragically died last December.
Under the changes social housing landlords will have to investigate and fix damp and mould in their properties within strict new time limits. The announcement was made this month by Housing Secretary Michael Gove.
Since late last year the council has been reviewing how it deals with damp and mould in its homes and has taken action to improve how it carries out investigations. The council does not currently have any cases in its homes which have been assessed as a serious and immediate risk to a person’s health and safety. The council has also been following up reported cases with new inspections.
In its forthcoming budget for 2023 to 2024 the council is also set to spend £102 million over five years on housing repairs with priority given to issues such as damp and mould works, roofing repairs and energy efficiency works. In 2023 to 2024, £25.5m is set to be spent on repairs to council homes.
Councillor Alastair Gunn, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing, said:
“The tragic death of Awaab Ishak from Rochdale highlights the potentially devastating effects of damp and mould. Any case of damp and mould must be treated with absolute seriousness; therefore, we welcome the announcement made last week by the government.
“As the Housing Secretary Michael Gove has made clear, it is not acceptable to pass these problems as a ‘lifestyle issue’. No one in our town should have to live in a home plagued with damp and mould – that should not be a high bar to set – and that is why we have reviewed how we deal with damp and mould and have taken action to improve how we investigate cases.
“Our proposed investment in our budget shows how serious we are about tackling these issues and the root causes of damp and mould, so we can make our tenants’ homes safe, warm and decent places in which to live.”
“If you are a council tenant and you have damp and mould in your home, please report this directly to us so we can ensure it is prioritised for inspection.”
Council tenants can report damp and mould issues directly to the council on 01279 446655 or through the council’s website – https://selfserve.harlow.gov.uk/service/Damp_assessment
