The damp and mould crisis in social housing.

Most of you are probably aware of the current crisis with damp and mould in housing in the UK. Damp and mould problems in homes, especially social housing properties, have really been highlighted this year following several high-profile incidents around the UK. Thousands of tenants have been complaining about leaks in their properties resulting in damp, as well as just general damp and mould cases.

What is the effect of mould on our health?

The health impacts of living with mould can be detrimental, however it’s unfortunately extremely common in homes across the UK, especially this time of year. Damp can cause a variety of problems, including mould on walls which can spread to furniture and window frames. Damp encourages the growth of mould, which is ultimately what causes health issues such as asthma, allergies and other respiratory issues.

The health impacts of mould on our health have been focused on more, since a two year-old recently died after prolonged exposure to mould in his parents apartment, which was managed and maintained by a housing association.

How is the recent damp and mould crisis is impacting social housing?

We spoke to Asset Management specialist, Kane Thomas, about the impacts of recent events on the social housing sector, and how it’s fed into demand for Damp and Mould Surveyors.

"After the recent tragedy up north, there has been a spectacular rise, and rightly so, in organisations sourcing candidates at all levels to tackle this crisis and ensures this never happens again. 

We are getting a huge influx of calls every day with clients requiring damp and mould specialists within surveying, supervisory and managerial roles. The difficulty is as always the talent pool. With everyone fishing in the same pond at the same time, finding the candidates to fill all these roles and keep up with demand is proving difficult."

The National Housing Federation has said that work “has already begun to improve the quality any homes and services” during this mould in housing crisis. Following this, the government has announced that it will table an amendment to the Social Housing Regulation Bill relating to hazards, such as damp and mould, in social homes across the UK.

This guidance will specify time limits that landlords have to meet, regarding investigating possible hazards and taking action when there are obvious health concerns. It’s speculated that said new guidance will come in summer.

We have a dedicated team of 5 consultants all specialising in the Asset Management sector, to keep up with demand and help our clients tackle these issues.

You can contact Kane here for more information. 

☎ 07497 647 928
✉ kane@niyaapeople.co.uk