Regulator of Social Housing Releases Damp and Mould Findings

Damp and mould are issues that can result in detrimental outcomes, outcomes which the housing sector will be aware of all too well. It is therefore imperative that you ensure you are taking the relevant, practical steps to address any problems found in properties affected by damp and mould on an individual basis, so that safety is guaranteed at all times.

In December 2022, housing providers were required to provide the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) with the assurance that they have a ‘clear understanding and strong grip on damp and mould issues in their homes’. Fast-forward to February 2023, the regulator has recently published its findings on the extent of damp and mould in social housing, following the said request for information and evidence from larger housing providers.

The regulator was reassured by the findings which show that most providers are taking damp and mould seriously, and have made improvements in handling such cases over the past year. The regulator was pleased by the strong responses received from local authorities and private registered providers on how they tackle damp and mould. The best responses were characterised by:

• Comprehensive and regularly updated data on stock conditions, repairs performance, and hazards identified
• Case triaging, escalation routes, and response time targets
• Appropriate consideration of tenant needs and vulnerabilities
• Investigation of root causes of damp and mould
• Use of specialist staff or contractors
• Appropriate reporting and oversight from the Board or Councillors

Unfortunately, some social landlords submitted poor quality responses, and the regulator will now engage directly with them to establish their approach to tackling damp and mould. Additionally, a minority of registered providers supplied poor quality information, which the regulator will examine more closely to ensure that they are effectively tackling damp and mould. The responses suggest that most providers could strengthen their approach in several areas, especially in their knowledge of homes, frequency of surveying, and understanding of individual tenant needs. The poorer responses were characterised by:

• Relying heavily on reactive approaches rather than proactive approaches
• Having less data or refreshing their data less frequently
• Having weaker evidence of their assurance, oversight and understanding of the condition of their homes

According to the regulator's best estimates, 3-4% of social housing homes have at least some notable damp and mould problems, 1-2% have serious damp and mould problems, and less than 0.2% have the most serious damp and mould problems, which would fail the Decent Homes Standard. Also noteworthy is that local authorities reported proportionately more cases than private registered providers.

In terms of next steps, the regulator expects all registered providers to make improvements in protecting tenants from the harm caused by damp and mould. They will continue to analyse submissions and engage directly with individual providers who submitted poor quality information or reported high prevalence of damp and mould. Appropriate regulatory action will be taken against providers who are not compliant with standards.

From April 2024, the regulator will introduce more active consumer regulation of social housing, including inspections, and the quality of homes and repairs services will be a key focus. The regulator is committed to taking necessary action to ensure that tenants receive the services they deserve.

So what can we learn from this survey? And what should you be doing now? It is clear from the regulator’s findings that most providers have a handful of homes where damp and mould is present, with their responses to these issues being what distinguishes them from one another. Housing providers need to continue to be proactive, ensuring they are collating information, data, and knowledge of their assets and the conditions their tenants are living in. They also need to ensure they have a robust approach to dealing with damp and mould from a proactive point of view as well as a reactive one; the regulator has pointed out that organisations who are more proactive and have better data on their assets provided far better responses.

Dealing with damp and mould should form part of the fundamentals for all housing providers, and it must be emphasised that this should not be a one-off exercise, but rather an ongoing one. We must also address the underlying inference that tenants are in some way to blame for not doing more to stop or address the symptoms of damp and mould in their homes. The recent publication from the Housing Ombudsman touches on this within its ‘One year on follow up report: Spotlight on damp and mould – It’s not lifestyle’. To read more about what the follow up report has revealed, view our dedicated blog here.

Tenants must therefore receive ongoing support during these difficult times. Whilst the initial focus is resolving damp and mould issues, housing providers should also be ensuring that the remedial works are resolving these issues for the long-term by engaging with tenants and consistently checking that what is being done is working. Housing providers can expect the regulator to continue to require assurance that they possess a knowledgeable and clear understanding of how to deal with damp and mould through well-established methods.