Harlow Council has spent £200K addressing damp and mould issues in social housing over the past year, highlighting ongoing concerns.
Harlow: So, it turns out Harlow Council has shelled out a whopping £200K to fix damp and mould problems in their social housing over the last year. A recent investigation dug this up, and it’s quite the eye-opener.
They got 56 complaints about damp and mould, plus another four about general disrepair. That’s a lot of unhappy tenants! The council spent around £12,800 just on damp and mould fixes, and the rest went to other repairs.
This whole damp and mould issue is a big deal across the UK right now. A report from the Housing Ombudsman last month showed that it’s a major part of their casework, with over 100 severe cases reported.
Richard Blakely from the Ombudsman mentioned that landlords are still struggling to keep up with repair times, even though there are clear guidelines in place. It’s frustrating for everyone involved.
Then there’s Awaab’s Law, which came about after the tragic death of a little boy due to damp conditions. This law is supposed to make sure landlords fix health hazards quickly, but right now, it only applies to social housing.
Good news is, the Deputy Prime Minister said they’re planning to extend this law to private rentals too. But with councils facing financial struggles and a housing crisis, it’s tough to see how they’ll manage all these repairs.
Angela Rayner spoke at the Labour Party conference, saying many landlords are doing their best but have had a rough time lately. She’s committed to working with them to tackle damp and mould issues.
LegalExpert.co.uk is there to help anyone dealing with damp or housing problems. They’ve got a 24-hour helpline and live chat on their site.
Harlow Council was invited to share their thoughts. They said they’ve revamped their reporting system for damp and mould to handle these issues better. They’re making it a priority to fix these problems and are investing millions into improving housing in Harlow.
They’re also doing stock condition surveys to spot issues early and plan future repairs. If you’re a tenant dealing with damp or mould, you can report it directly to the council by calling 01279 446655 or through their website.
