Desperate need for "urgent" damp and mould funding
An Edinburgh MP is demanding action from both governments to tackle damp and mouldy homes
An Edinburgh MP is pleading with both the Scottish and UK Government's to urgently provide funding to councils to tackle issues of damp and mould.
Christine Jardine, who represents the West of the Capital, wants specific cash made available to local authorities.
Forth News has previously revealed hundreds of Council properties are on a waiting list for repairs to damp and mould.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of Edinburgh Council homes wait for mould and damp repairs
It follows a response from the UK Government to a letter Ms Jardine sent in December asking how they are tackling the issue, after a coroner’s ruling that two-year-old Awaab Ishak died due to exposure to mould in his home in Rochdale in 2020.
In the letter, UK Minister Baroness Scott says that the Government has written to social housing providers and local authorities, reminding them of their responsibilities. However, she ruled out additional funding by saying “it is councils’ responsibility to use their income to manage their stock”.
The Liberal Democrat MP received a similar response from Scottish Housing Secretary, Shona Robison last month, who also stated that spending decisions are matters for individual councils, but the Scottish Government was taking the issue seriously.
Ms Jardine believes a lack of specific funding to tackle mould and damp will see “households falling through the cracks”, and the lack of support may be putting people’s health at risk.
She is now launching a petition in response to the “disappointing” letters she has received.
Ms Jardine said:
“My constituents worried about the safety of their homes deserve better than this.
“It is disappointing to see the UK Government take the same line as the Scottish Government, and decide they have no control over how councils use their funding.
“They have the chance to provide a specific pot of money just for providing repairs and damp-proofing social housing, so no-one is forced to live in a home that makes them feel unsafe.
“With energy bills soaring, tenants are cutting back on their heating, as they can’t always afford to keep their homes warm enough to stop damp and mould spreading.
“Many are concerned that the presence of mould could pose a risk to their health and are having to seek medical advice. That is not acceptable.
“I would urge Ministers to take these concerns seriously, and listen to my constituents by giving councils across Scotland the resources they desperately need."