Damp and mould in social housing

The Property Care Association discuss how to introduce a successful strategy to deal with dampness and mould in social housing

The last six months have seen a seismic shift in people’s perception of what is acceptable when it comes to dampness in our homes. There can be little doubt that the tragic story of Awaab Ishak and the subsequent inquest which cited mould as the primary catalyst to the toddler’s avoidable death, should not have happened and must not be allowed to happen again. The conditions that the Ishak family were living in are not common but unfortunately occur more often than they should. Thankfully we are now at a point where more people realise this isn’t acceptable and that no one should be made ill due to the home they live in.
    
Media coverage of damp issues has gone up exponentially too. Whilst regrettably stories about damp and mould have been a constant across mainstream media, they have undoubtedly become more frequent since the coroner’s ruling on this case.
    
The introduction of Awaab’s law will also increase pressure on landlords as they have to investigate and fix damp and mould within certain timescales. The Housing Ombudsman too has been given new powers to improve landlord performance.

A growing issue
As an industry which deals with the investigation and remediation of damp in our homes, PCA members report they have seen a significant increase in calls to homes affected by dampness this winter, with problems becoming more severe and frequent.
    
A number of factors are contributing to the rising trend, predominately linked with modern living, and the cost of fuel. In many regards, we were quite fortunate this year and with a very mild winter, but costs are still rising, and we can’t bank on an equally warm winter this year

Contributing factors
Other factors include high occupancy rates, which are often understated and inaccurate. As well as efforts to reduce draughts and the amount of fuel and heat used in homes which too frequently are poorly designed with a lack of continuity of insulation increasing the risk of cold bridging or no consideration given for the building’s ability to discharge water resulting in an increase in moisture-related defects.
    
It would appear that if we are not mindful, problems associated with damp and mould will become an increasing trend.

Effective ventilation
It seems fair to say that there appears to be a range of approaches taken when dealing with damp and mould in social housing. Too often we see remediation focus on the symptom and not the cause of the issue. Simply removing the mould and believing you have fixed the problem, will not solve the issue long term. It is vital that the conditions which have allowed the damp and mould to manifest themselves are addressed.
    
This normally means giving consideration to the thermal performance of the building, heat input, the levels of moisture produced within the building and its ability to deal with it. Moisture production is inevitable and with rising fuels costs, additional heat input is not always a viable option. One of the key elements to addressing mould issues can be the installation of appropriate and efficient ventilation. In many situations this can be the most appropriate way to resolve atmospheric moisture and air pollution problems where tenants face the challenge of mould and condensation.

A focused approach to ventilation
But let’s be clear, ventilation is required for so much more than just preventing mould growth. It is required to control temperature, pollutants and provide us with the fresh air we need to breathe.
    
There’s a need for a focused approach to ventilation and air quality across the UK. This would have benefits for the health and wellbeing of many, whilst reducing energy bills and improving the life of decoration and building fabrics. Adopting simple strategies would make considerable in-roads towards tackling the growing blight of mould and condensation for millions.

Building regulations and guidance
However, despite the impact which good ventilation can have on a property’s moisture levels, the current regulation and guidance setting out minimum requirements in homes is mixed, and usually ignored or misunderstood.
    
There are concerns about the impact and interpretation of Approved Document F – the Building Regulation which sets the minimum standard for ventilation in homes. Although recent changes now sets a required standard of air exchange for existing buildings, as well as new builds, it does not get the attention it deserves. Unfortunately, this standard is rarely applied where buildings are being renovated or improved and its exacting requirements are all too often simply ignored.

A pragmatic approach to ‘adequacy’
In the case of Approved Document F, our focus is not really on promoting a change in its scope, instead a pragmatic rather than a prescriptive approach to the question of “adequacy”, coupled with more efforts to impose and police these mandatory requirements is needed.
 
Our view is that using a rigid and prescribed rate of air extraction which is based on assumed rates of occupation and background airtightness, can be counterproductive. Instead allowing specialists to design and install ventilation systems which are responsive to the needs of the occupant and consider the real airtightness and thermal performance of the building, can only produce better outcomes, save energy and deliver a healthy indoor atmosphere.

Education, awareness and specialist knowledge
We would like to see more robust reporting structures, greater accountability for ventilation installers and consequences for landlords who fail to deliver buildings which are safe and dry. These aims can only come to pass if they are coupled with a culture of education and learning for all housing professionals.
    
There’s a need for empowered and technically competent specialists who can deal with dampness, condensation and mould issues. Decisions and interventions should be based on science and understanding rather than assumption and prejudgements. Every housing officer, landlord, surveyor and building professional should have the knowledge to at least understand the causes and implications of dampness when it is seen or reported.

The health and wellbeing of the occupant
With more homes than ever being affected by mould, we need to do more and do it better – making sure that the right outcomes are delivered quickly, efficiently, and work is done right, first time, every time.
    
Approved Document F rarely gets the attention it deserves and is not enforced to the same extent as other areas of the building regs. The consequences of failure to comply with Approved Document F are never going to be a dramatic as they are for failing to comply with Approved document B (fire safety) and Approved Document P (electrical safety), but failing to provide adequate ventilation should not be taken any less seriously – after all, we are considering the health of the occupants.
 
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