Housing Management Damp and Mould Policy

The Council sought residents’ feedback on a new approach to tackling damp and mould in homes. Recognising the serious impact on health, well-being, and property conditions, the Council is committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ensure residents’ safety and comfort.

The policy outlines different types of damp in the home that can be found as it is important to understand the different causes of damp as they each require different solutions. The policy also goes through the Council’s responsibilities to tenants, timescales, risk assessing, safeguarding, tenant and leaseholder responsibilities and an advice section.

• Leaseholders requested clearer information about how the Council addresses various types of damp and mould beyond condensation when it comes leasehold properties.
• Leaseholders also wanted clarification on queries related to home alterations and building insurance.
• Residents asked for more detailed clarification on timeframes for addressing damp and mould issues.
• Residents expressed concerns about whether the policy would be effectively followed through.

We have used your feedback to update policy accordingly, which aims to be published in January 2025. The changes that have been made are as follows:

• We updated the policy to provide leaseholders further guidance on addressing water leaks, penetrating damp, and rising damp, ensuring a comprehensive approach to damp and mould issues.
• The queries around home alterations and building insurance are addressed in the updated Repairs Policy so we have asked residents to refer to this policy for more detailed information.
• Clear timeframes for addressing damp and mould issues were added to the policy, providing better transparency and accountability.

To ensure effective follow-through of the policy, we are developing an IT workflow in line with Awaab’s Law to manage oversight of damp and mould cases from report to resolution. This system will trigger management involvement if cases do not progress within the established timeframes. Additionally, you can now have a video call with the Customer Service or submit photos when reporting the issue so cases can be prioritised more efficiently, and we can address the problem more effectively.