It is not uncommon to see distressing stories in the news about housing conditions. Reports of damp and mould growth are particularly prevalent, with people becoming increasingly aware of the potential health impact of inhaling mould spores. Alongside articles on mainstream social media, a glance at the comments sections will see people blame tenants, landlords and EHPs in equal measures. How do we change the narrative? As a profession, we are striving to move past ‘the blame game’ and look at working together to resolve hazards. As we discussed last year, we’ve seen some local authorities looking at education and engagement as being essential in this shift.

As EHPs HHSRS trainers, we hear from delegates that damp and mould is one of the most common hazards seen, an issue that impacts the lives of many, so we frequently have cause to reflect on damp and mould. EHPs often find it one of the most challenging hazards to assess and resolve effectively, particularly when the cause is most likely condensation. It is more complex than encountering a property without smoke detection or stairs without a handrail. There is no single cause or solution to damp and mould, with each property presenting its own unique challenges, and it would be careless to pass judgement and try and guess the causes or solutions from a brief description in an article. 

The relationship between heating, insulation and ventilation is often the key, but this can be complex to understand. On top of exploring this during inspection, if we don’t get our HHSRS assessments right, it can be challenging to explain deficiencies to a landlord, and even more challenging to enforce remedial works robustly. What we know is that we, as a profession, can strive to be the best we can be at listening, understanding, mediating, giving advice and signposting – as a way of building a solid case before we get to enforcement. 

Aside from the HHSRS, there is a variety of new legislation on the horizon that might help EHPs in dealing with the issue. The Renters’ Rights Bill seeks to introduce a decent homes standard and Awaab’s law to the PRS. The current decent homes standard stipulates that a home must be free of Category 1 hazards (Criterion A) and must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort, which equates to effective insulation and efficient heating (Criterion D). Awaab’s law proposes that landlords will be required to investigate and fix damp and mould according to prescribed time periods, with emergency repairs being implemented within 24 hours. Guides and procedures on the Renters Rights Bill and enforcement are coming to RIAMS soon. 

In addition, the consultation for amendments to the minimum energy efficiency standard has now been published, advising on a requirement for the minimum standard for PRS properties to be raised from EPC band E to EPC band C. This will undoubtedly assist PRS teams in tackling inadequacies in heating, insulation and ventilation if some of the challenges in enforcing the standard are resolved in amended regulations. 

There is also the long-awaited review of the HHSRS, which is pending operation. The updating of statistics and introduction of ‘indicative baselines’ may well assist practitioners in the assessment of damp and mould growth and consequent enforcement. Landlords are keen for the changes to be introduced to help them understand their legal obligations, with the NRLA calling for implementation, but it remains unknown as to when the new system might be introduced.

New and updated legislation is not the silver bullet it could be. The difficulty of resolving damp and mould complaints is compounded by two other sector-wide challenges. First, local authority private sector housing teams are struggling with rising demand in a massive and growing PRS at a time when budgets are overstretched, restricting officer numbers and resources. Second, EH is a sector struggling to recruit qualified officers, university courses are at risk, and there are not enough new officers being matched to job opportunities, as highlighted at the University West of England EHP network event held last year. 

Added to all of the above, the rising prices of gas and electricity are pushing the basic need for a warm, comfortable home all year round beyond ‘reasonable cost’ for low-income households. How can EHPs tackle this? Your thoughts are welcome; if you’d like to write a blog to share with other teams and tell us how you’re tackling damp and mould growth complaints, then get in touch.

Alternatively, discuss current issues facing the profession with like-minded professionals in RIAMS Communities.

RHE can further support you in your enforcement: [email protected]. 

RHE can support your HHSRS/damp and mould training needs: [email protected]. 

Additionally, The Housing App brings leading-edge technology to property inspections, surveys and assessments. Contact the team for more information.

RIAMS Libraries can support your team in the delivery of consistent and robust enforcement.