Rotherham Council spent more than £1.4m on damp, mould and disrepair in last year
In the year to October the council has received more than 100 complaints from social housing tenants regarding damp and mould in its properties.
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council spent more than £1.4 million on repairing damp, mould, and disrepair in its social housing during the past year.
Data obtained by Legal Expert via Freedom of Information Requests has found that between October 2023 and October 2024, the council has received more than 100 complaints from social housing tenants regarding damp and mould in its properties.
The council received more than 100 complaints from tenants regarding damp and mould between October 2023 and October 2024, with 46 complaints at the formal “stage one” of the complaints process.
During that time, £412,021 was spent on damp works, £972,426 on mould works, and £59,657 on disrepair works.
James Clark, assistant director for housing at Rotherham Council, said that all reports received are taken seriously, and that the authority plans to spend a further £2.5m on damp proofing and ventilation fans in the coming year.
Mr Clark added: “We have a pro-active, zero-tolerance approach regarding damp and mould.
“Like all landlords, Rotherham Council has seen an increase in the number of reports received about damp and mould.
“All reports received are taken seriously and an inspection is carried out, any remedial works are then ordered including removal of any mould, installation of any preventative measures such as extractor fans and re-decoration if required. Advice and guidance are also offered to tenants.
“We are also planning to spend a further £2.5m on damp proofing and ventilation fans and £1.3m on thermal efficiency works in 2025/26 which will help to prevent occurrence of damp and mould in the future.
Richard Blakely, from the Housing Ombudsman, highlighted the struggles faced by landlords in addressing these issues within reasonable timescales.
Despite policies in place, Mr Blakely explained that many landlords are still struggling to resolve these problems quickly, contributing to the surge in complaints about damp and mould.
“This is a topic that now dominates half of our casework,” he said, adding that the issue is gaining even more attention due to new legislation, including the government’s Awaab’s Law.
Awaab’s Law, introduced in July 2023 following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died as a result of exposure to damp and mould in his Rochdale home, mandates that landlords fix health hazards like mould within a strict time frame. Currently, the law applies only to social housing, but plans are in place to extend it to the private sector.
However, councils are facing a number of challenges in addressing these issues, including growing financial pressures, a shortage of housing, and the cost-of-living crisis.