The Housing Ombudsman’s Damp and Mould Follow Up Report

More than a year after the Housing Ombudsman released its original Spotlight ‘It’s not lifestyle’ report on damp and mould in October 2021, an updated report has now been published which provides an analysis of landlord responses and an assessment of the impact of the 26 recommendations made in the initial report.

The follow up report, which analysed responses from 40 housing providers (26 of whom responded), proposes ten key factors which will impact on landlords producing action plans in light of the ongoing influx of damp and mould cases, including the recent inquest into the tragic death of Awaab Ishak.

To summarise, the report found that whilst the recommendations were considered useful by landlords, financial constraints and organisational barriers were obstacles to change.

• Only 35% of respondents had a damp and mould policy in place with streamlined processes for addressing damp and mould reports, with 12% saying they were in the process of implementing one.
• 19% of respondents had self-assessed against the recommendations, and of those who self-assessed, 41% stated they had not made any changes.

The report highlights some of the actions landlords are taking to address damp and mould, such as removing the emphasis on resident responsibility, using dedicated apps for reporting issues, implementing humidity and temperature sensors, and providing staff training. However, the report also expresses concerns about euphemistic language (such as using ‘internal environmental factors’ for the word ‘lifestyle’) and a lack of emphasis on landlord responsibility.

Key findings of the report include how housing providers are still failing to act on damp and mould once legal proceedings are involved, and that there is still a culture of blaming residents for the problem despite some areas of good practice. The Housing Ombudsman's ten key tests for landlords producing action plans include having a proactive communication strategy, improving record keeping, and using the complaints system to learn. To read about these factors in more detail, you can view the follow up report here.

The report concludes by emphasising the importance of addressing damp and mould in a comprehensive and responsible manner to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents. This should come as no surprise as housing providers continue to put well-established measures in place that maintain the safety of their properties and residents at all times, particularly in light of the recent damp and mould findings from the Regulator of Social Housing. For more insight into these findings, click here to read our dedicated ‘Regulator of Social Housing Releases Damp and Mould Findings’ blog.