Report says military housing is 'inadequate' after finding some people live in mouldy homes
The review covers Army, RAF and Royal Navy housing across the country, including in Norfolk
Severe deficiencies in housing for the military and their families are a "tax on the goodwill" of serving armed forces personnel, according to a new report.
Dampness, mould, pest infestations and gas and electrical faults are among the persistent problems that plague service accommodation, the Kerslake Commission on Armed Forces Housing found in its Homes Unfit For Heroes report.
The report says the Ministry of Defence's current investment in accommodation is inadequate and fails to make up for years of underfunding.
It also raises concerns that the effect of such housing issues on quality of life may deter personnel from staying in the armed forces for the long term.
An ex RAF personnel who served in Norfolk and wished to remain anonymous, spoke to us after the report was released:
"I'm not surprised at all if I'm honest... It depends on the accommodation type, so my best accommodation has been ex office accommodation, and the worst is probably just any old house they can give you really.
"My accommodations hasn't been that bad, I've heard of people that have had like mould mites and stuff - and I didn't even know that was a thing.
"Most of the houses have mould in, and they just think 'let's paint over that', so it's not ever properly treated, it just looks good for when you march in... they're just liveable.
"They can be okay but I think there's a lot that needs to be done to make it nicer for people. Having rubbish houses is going to make people want to leave even more. If they said we're going to charge you for proper housing, you wouldn't get the houses rented, nobody would willingly look at this house and say 'I actually really want to live in this house'."
Commission member General Sir Richard Barrons said: "Decent and affordable accommodation is crucial for the wellbeing of our armed forces personnel and is essential for maintaining the operational effectiveness of our national defence.
"Yet for many years the accommodation for many service personnel and their families has been poor, and in many cases unacceptable.
"Substandard accommodation has effectively become a tax on the goodwill of highly prized people that directly undermines operational effectiveness and retention of our armed forces."
The commission is calling for immediate action to improve conditions in military housing.
The report pointed to poor management and maintenance and said a backlog of repairs is "at a tipping point" and means the cost of modernising armed forces accommodation could soon be more than £4 billion.
The Kerslake Commission on Armed Forces Housing was launched in February 2023, with the late Lord Bob Kerslake, former head of the civil service, as its chairman.
The review covers Army, RAF and Royal Navy housing.
The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.