0:06 AM, 26th February 2025, About 2 months ago
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Children are suffering due to social landlord shortcomings in tackling damp and mould, a report from the Housing Ombudsman reveals.
The ‘Learning from Severe Maladministration’ document focuses on inspection failures and sloppy information handling.
It is highlighting issues that leave families vulnerable ahead of Awaab’s Law enforcement in the social housing sector later this year.
The law will mandate social landlords to address damp and mould swiftly, with broader hazards covered from 2026.
The Ombudsman’s findings aim to equip housing providers with critical insights to meet these looming deadlines.
Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, said: “The sector has seven months left to mobilise, and we know many landlords are doing so.
“Central to an effective response is the landlord’s diagnosis of what is causing damp and mould. This can be complex and can require expertise.
“These cases focus on landlord’s use of inspections, highlighting four common failings we see in our casework.”
Those persistent social landlord blunders include skipping inspections entirely, conducting them without follow-through, ignoring expert advice and mismanaging records.
The lapses have led to various consequences including a baby requiring an inhaler after unchecked damp festered in their home.
Another family endured a decade of misery because inspections weren’t linked to the repairs.
However, the Ombudsman notes that despite children living in many affected homes, landlords often displayed no haste to carry out repairs or offered no temporary solutions.
The report names several culprits, including A2Dominion Group, Bristol City Council, Cornwall Council, Croydon Council, Ealing Council and Freebridge Community Housing.
It also names Greenwich Council, Hyde Group, Lambeth Council, L&Q, Metropolitan Thames Valley, Newlon Housing Trust, RHP and Together Housing Group.
Westminster City Council and Windrush Alliance UK Community Interest Company are also mentioned.
Mr Blakeway said: “Residents expectations will be raised following a survey in their home.
“But repeatedly our cases show communication vacuums lasting for months as the resident – and sometimes our investigation – tries to establish what is happening.”
He added: “With Awaab’s Law, these silences will need to stop, with communication with residents being open, specific and accurate.
“Poor communication can also be the result of poor records.
“Once more, weaknesses in knowledge and information management are shown to hamper the landlord’s response to residents, including knowing the status of repairs.”
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