Damp and Mould Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1. In October 2021, the Housing Ombudsman issued a ‘Spotlight on Damp and Mould’, highlighting the approach they expect social landlords to take when dealing with tenants who complain about damp and mould to them. Further guidance on understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home was issued by the Government in September 2023. This policy will take into account recommendations made in these documents.
1.2. This Damp and Mould Policy sets out how Fairhive will address and respond to reports of damp, mould and condensation in our properties.
1.3. Fairhive recognises the importance of addressing the problems damp and mould can cause. This policy sets out the preventative measures and responsive actions we will take to tackle and reduce issues surrounding damp and mould in our properties.
1.4. This policy applies to all Fairhive tenanted properties and to communal areas of leasehold properties where the lease confirms our repairing obligations.

2. Policy Statement

Fairhive takes all reports of damp and mould seriously and understands the health implications it may have.
The key principles of this policy are:

• to ensure we provide and maintain dry, warm and healthy homes for our tenants in accordance with the Decent Homes Standard
• to commit to compliance with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
• to undertake effective investigations and implement all reasonable remedial repair solutions and improvements to eradicate damp including managing and controlling condensation
• to take responsibility for diagnosing and resolving damp and mould expediently and effectively where they result from issues that require repair
• to inform tenants of their responsibilities for managing condensation in their home, and support them to manage these responsibilities
• to ensure that the fabric of our properties is protected from deterioration and damage resulting from damp and mould
• to educate staff and residents about the risks of damp and mould
• to ensure that tenants are treated in a fair and consistent way

Types of Damp
Rising Damp – this is the movement of moisture from the ground rising up through the structure of the building through capillary action. Causes of rising damp may include:

• Defective damp proof course (DPC)
• Failed damp proof membrane (DPM)
• Bridging of the damp proof course (DPC)

Penetrating damp – where water penetrates the external structure of the building or internal plumbing leaks that cause damp to internal surfaces and structure. Causes of penetrating damp may include:

• Water ingress due to defective structure or poor design of external building components
• Defective or blocked rainwater gutters and downpipes
• Leaking internal hot or cold supply pipes, leaking central heating system or defective internal waste pipes
• Flooding due to burst pipes

Condensation – condensation occurs when moisture held in warm air comes into contact with a cold surface and then condenses producing water droplets. The building conditions that can increase the risk of condensation include:

• Inadequate heating – undersized radiators or incorrect boiler size, or if heating system is not used adequately
• Inadequate ventilation , e.g. if window trickle vents are either not in place or not opened, or if mechanical extraction in kitchens and bathrooms are either not in place or not used
• Inadequate thermal insulation, e.g. defective or lack of loft and wall insulation
• Poor building design which leads to cold bridging, creating cold areas which are integral with the building construction

2.3.4 Mould is a natural organic compound that develops in damp conditions and will only grow on damp surfaces. This is often noticeable and present in situations where condensation is present.
2.4 Landlord Responsibilities (prevention, responsive repairs, planned maintenance)

• to carry out regular stock condition surveys of all properties to ensure that they are compliant with the Decent Homes Standard
• to plan improvement works to properties in order to prevent occurrences of damp and mould, including but not limited to insulation works, window replacements, roofing upgrades, installation of mechanical extractor fans, upgrading heating systems
• to ensure that remedial work for the treatment of damp, mould and condensation on all void properties is undertaken before being let to new tenants
• to inspect all reports of damp and mould as soon as possible and in line with any targets the regulator may set
• communicate clearly to residents the actions to be taken to resolve the issues raised
• to prioritise the inspection and removal of any health hazard where the resident has provided details of vulnerability particularly in relation to health conditions
• to diagnose the cause of damp and mould correctly and deliver effective solutions based on dealing with the cause of the damp not just the symptom
• to carry out a further inspection of the property at least 6 weeks after any remedial works are completed
• to promote and provide general advice and guidance on how to manage damp and condensation, including how to clean any signs of mould and any additional actions they can take to prevent mould
• to ensure that our staff are provided with relevant training and guidance in order to meet the aims of this policy
• New build properties will be treated in the same way as existing properties whereby a repairs inspector will attend the property to survey the reported damp. Should remedial works be required, these will be instructed to the Developer during the one year defects liability period.

2.5. Tenant Responsibilities

• to regularly check for damp and mould and clean signs of mould as soon as they are discovered
• to report visible signs of damp and mould at the earliest opportunity, and report faulty equipment that will hamper the management and control of damp and condensation (e.g. extractor fans, windows, heating system)
• to allow access for inspections, remedial repair works and improvement works to the property. All attempts at access will be recorded by Fairhive
• to keep the property well ventilated, including but not limited to opening windows, keeping trickle vents open, allowing air to circulate around furniture by leaving a gap between the furniture and walls
• to keep the property adequately heated
• to manage moisture levels in the property by covering pans when cooking, keeping doors closed when cooking and bathing, drying laundry outside where possible, ensuring tumble driers are adequately vented or condensing, ensuring extractor fans are switched on
• to follow all guidance provided to manage damp and condensation within the property

2.6. Leaseholder Responsibilities

• Leaseholders are responsible for managing and maintaining their own properties including damp, condensation and mould, in accordance with their lease agreement.
• As the freeholder we are responsible for repairs to the fabric of the building, such as roof repairs, and will carry out appropriate repairs to these.

3. Policy Implementation

3.1. The policy will be implemented in accordance with the ‘Damp, Mould and Condensation Procedure’.

4. Performance Measures and Monitoring

4.1 We will measure the time taken to inspect damp and mould cases, and monitor this performance to ensure we are deploying adequate resource to respond to these reports in a timely manner.
4.2 We will monitor our damp and mould cases using our housing management system.

5. Impacts

Resident/Staff Implications - The Residents’ Forum has been consulted during the preparation of this policy.
Staff are regularly trained on damp and mould in accordance with their specific roles.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion - Our residents are diverse and this will be taken into account during the implementation of this Policy:

• We will take into account the individual needs of our residents and tailor our approach and actions appropriately.
• All correspondence and literature will be in plain English and jargon free.
• If required we can provide information in alternative formats such as large print or Braille and translation by the use of Language Line.
• We will take account of a resident’s vulnerability and will contact residents by their preferred method of contact.

Value for Money - Make efficient opportunities to carry out property inspections as part of the stock condition survey programme and when properties become void, to carry out property improvement works to prevent damp and mould.
Attending to early reports of damp and mould to reduce remedial works required. 

Data Protection - All due care is taken to protect data held by us and in particular, we ensure we keep all resident data secure and meet with data protection requirements.

Accountability - The Residents’ Forum has been consulted during the preparation of this Policy.

Quality - We look to ensure that our residents are safe in their homes by supporting the prevision of well-maintained homes which are in line with legislative and regulatory requirements.

When things go wrong - Residents can communicate concerns through our formal channels.

6. Related legislation and other documents:

Social Housing (Regulation) Act
Decent Homes Standard
Housing Acts 1985 & 1996
Housing Act 2004 including Housing Health and Safety Rating System
Landlord & Tenant Act 1985
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Damp, Mould and Condensation Procedure

Policy author details

Author	Andrew Rysdale
Job title	Assistant Director of Property
Date approved	February 2024
Review due date	Februrary 2027