Our Research Into Damp, Mould And Disrepair In Council Houses
Issues of damp, mould and disrepair are in sharp focus across the UK following a report from the Housing Ombudsman released earlier this month which details over 100 severe maladministration cases on damp and mould saying the issue now “dominates half of our casework.”
Richard Blakely of the Housing Ombudsman said: “It is clear that landlords are still struggling with timescales. This is despite policies often setting out a clear sequence of actions and existing obligations requiring reasonable resolution times…
“This is a topic that now dominates half of our casework and one coming into sharp focus given the government’s intention to introduce Awaab’s Law into both the social and private rented sectors.”
Awaab’s Law was first introduced in July 2023 following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in Rochdale, Greater Manchester in 2020.
The two-year-old died as a result of exposure to damp and mould conditions and his death prompted a change in the law which requires landlords to fix hazards that pose a danger to tenants’ health with a strict legal time limit.
As it stands, the law only applies to properties in the social housing sector. However, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner announced in September that the law will be extended to the private sector.
However, with cash-strapped councils fearing imminent bankruptcy, a growing demand for housing and a cost-of-living crisis, it seems hard to fathom how councils can be expected to tackle the issues facing their properties despite new legislation and policy.
Speaking at the Labour Party conference in September, Angela Rayner said: “Many Housing Associations, councils and landlords do good by their tenants and I know how hard they’ve had it after 14 years under the Tories. Which is why I will work in partnership with the sector to deliver the change. I will clamp down on damp and mouldy homes by bringing in Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector this autumn and we’ll extend it to the private rented sector too.”
“We will consult and implement a new Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes, to end the scandal of homes being unfit to live in.”
How Legal Expert Can Help You
If you’re looking for help and advice with a housing disrepair issue, Legal Expert can help. Our team of No Win No Fee solicitors are specialists in all types of housing disrepair claims and they can help you too. To access free advice or to chat with us about your legal options, please get in touch with us on the number at the top of this page.
How We Conducted Our Research Into Damp And Mould In Council Houses
Legal Expert submitted Freedom of Information Requests to 183 councils across the UK.
These included; metropolitan councils and unitary authorities, all London Boroughs and Welsh and Scottish Councils – to gain a true insight into the current social housing landscape.
We asked: Between 1 October, 2023 and 1 October, 2024, can you provide the number of complaints the council has had regarding damp, mould and disrepair.
We also asked how much the council had paid out in repairs for each of the issues during the same time period.
The figures relate only to social housing stock that is in the councils’ possession, rather than stock which is run by Housing Associations, but gives a vital snapshot of the challenges being faced.
Statistics On Damp And Mould In Council Houses
Metropolitan Councils
Doncaster Borough Council
Data provided by Ledge Homes – An Arm’s Length Management Organisation managing approximately 20,000 social housing properties on behalf of the City of Doncaster Council.
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould/Disrepair: 14
Amount paid out on repairs between November 2023 and October 2024
Damp/Mould: £1.03m
Disrepair: £102,785*
*Works issued to contractors only, does not represent the total amount
Gateshead Borough Council
No. of complaints between October 2023 and October 2024
Damp/Mould: 122
Disrepair: 244
Amount spent on repairs
Disrepairs: £209,395.57
Kirklees Borough Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 225
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £2,359,689
Disrepair: £115,909
Knowsley Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 56
Disrepair: 54
Damp/Mould/Disrepair: 4
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £1,209.00
Disrepair: £770.00
Leeds City Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 311
Disrepair: 27
Amount spent on repairs
Disrepair: £1,377,587
*This includes additional repairs and improvements, and this is the value within the Disrepair framework.
Manchester City Council
No. of complaints
Damp: 114
Mould: 110
Disrepair: 8
Amount spent on repairs
Damp: £1,256,991
Mould: £1,256,991
Disrepair: £1m Approx.
Rotherham Borough Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 46 (Stage 1 complaints)
Disrepair: 76 (Not formal complaints – these are legal cases)
Amount spent on repairs
Damp: £412,021 (on damp related works during this period)
Mould: £972,436 (on mould related works during this period)
Disrepair: £59,657
South Tyneside Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould:
- 1,038 (Stage 1 Complaints)
- 151 (Stage 2 Complaints)
Stockport Borough Council
No. of complaints
Disrepair: 81 (Legal Claims)
Amount spent on repairs
Remedial Repairs: £696,711
Disrepair: £143,000
Wolverhampton City Council
No. of complaints
Mould/Damp/Disrepair: 218
Amount spent on repairs
Damp.Mould: £1.2 million
Disrepair: £53,912
Unitary Authorities
Blackpool Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 23
Disrepair: 42
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £19,478.58
Disrepair: £38,617.97
Cornwall Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 210
Disrepair: 131
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £1,173,884
Disrepair: £831,464
Darlington Borough Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 12
Disrepair: 13
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £603.05
Disrepair: £23,518.65
Dorset Council
No. of complaints
Damp: 144
Mould: 189
Disrepair: 386
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £74,875.81
Disrepair: £208,233.96
Herefordshire Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 55
Disrepair: 53
Amount spent on repairs in council-owned temporary accommodation
Total: £79,302.00
Hull City Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 60
Disrepair: 243
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £700,000.00
Disrepair: £112,096.25
Nottingham City Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 302
Disrepair: Council does not record complaints about disrepair.
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £1,264,024.74
Disrepair: £1,208,118.86
Portsmouth City Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 2,444 (Repairs Raised) – 12 (Official Complaints)
Disrepair: 51
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £3,537,463.72
Disrepair: £45,623.22
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 198
Disrepair: 199
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £2,802,344.18
Disrepair: £690,905
London Boroughs
Brent Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 1,820
Disrepair: 201
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £314,789.36
Disrepair: £866,523.00
Camden Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould/Disrepair: 260
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £2,062,017
Disrepair: £2,596,087
Croydon Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 20
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £2,497,269
Disrepair: £3,909,016
Haringey Council
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £1,342,026
Disrepair: £1,282,104
Harlow Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 56
Disrepair: 4
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £12,801.28
Disrepair: £186,610.03
Southwark Council
No. of complaints
Damp: 163
Mould: 78
Disrepair: 85
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould/Disrepair: £3,345,259.00
Tower Hamlets Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 76
Disrepair: 83
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould/Disrepair: £305,812.19
Welsh Councils
Cardiff Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 114
Disrepair: 282
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £645,604.85
Disrepair: £186,467.29
Denbighshire Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 3
Disrepair: 6
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould/Disrepair: £39,389.42
Powys Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 18
Disrepair: 63
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £74,853.48
Disrepair: £83,925.65
Scottish Councils
Angus Council
No. of complaints
Damp: 120
Mould: 56
Other Repair: 19,395
Amount spent on repairs
Damp: £75,475
Mould: £14,176
Other Repair: £3,592,176
Clackmannanshire Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 332
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £234,184.80
Dundee City Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 357
Disrepair: 43,479
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £899,382
Disrepair: £6,241,038
East Aryshire Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 1,357
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £306,343
East Dunbartonshire Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 257
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £653,231.22
Moray Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 30
Disrepair: 57
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £191,483.67
Shetland Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 125
Disrepair: 2
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £44,976.00
South Ayrshire Council
No. of complaints
Damp/Mould: 727
Amount spent on repairs
Damp/Mould: £1,925,764.85
