Investment to Target Damp and Mould For Tenants

A £500,000 investment in a new team which will focus on dealing with damp and mould in Council properties, putting the local authority ahead of the national curve, was agreed last night

The new Damp and Mould Team will include two multi-trade builders, three multi-trade decorators, a senior supervisor and a schedule administrator to help reduce response times to homes with issues.

Carrying out works, increasing the safety of residents and saving money in the long run by managing the team in-house will ensure the Council is compliant with Awaabs Law.

This is part of a Levelling Up White Paper which has pledged to reduce ‘non-decency’ in rented homes by 50% by 2031 with social landlords taking swift action on the assessment and remedy of serious hazards, including damp and mould

The seven new officers will join the 22-strong maintenance team at the Council to help meet the tight timescales which have currently proved unattainable due to being under resourced.

At a meeting of full Council last night Members agreed to release the money from the budget so the new team can focus on damp and mould issues.

Cllr Bill Hartnett whose portfolio covers housing said: “Damp and mould is not unique to Redditch but we do have a variety of properties including bungalows, apartments and four bedroom homes all of different ages. “We want to prove to our tenants that we take damp and mould seriously and this new team also puts us ahead of the curve nationally as we take action to meet the Government’s deadline. “And by bringing the experts in house, we will save money and reduce waiting times for our customers. “Our tenants also need to work with us to ensure their homes are ventilated and we will continue to provide them with the information they need to do this.”

Making sure the vents on houses are open, opening windows after a bath or shower and wiping condensation from surfaces are top tips to get rid of damp and mould. Council Leader Joe Baker said: “As a landlord the Council has a responsibility to make sure our tenants have the safe and clean homes which is their fundamental right. “We pledged to recognise this right in our manifesto and once again, with help from our tenants to ensure their houses can breathe, we are delivering to make damp and mould a thing of the past.”

There’s more top tips on reducing damp and mould in homes – including a short movie – at redditchbc.gov.uk/letyourhousebreathe