A perfect storm

Landlords under pressure: Awaab’s Law and beyond; failed ECO4 projects- literally coming out of the woodwork – and extreme weather biting.

Our CEO Jake Clarke explores how all these factors are creating one of the most challenging times for social housing landlords

Any landlord, looking after either private or social housing stock and residents, is being confronted with unprecedented challenges. Everyone I talk to on a daily basis feel like they’re being pulled in so many directions, with legislative, legacy, and climate change all demanding their pound of flesh.

Awaab’s Law: one of the biggest overhauls in housing standards and resident health to hit over the last decade, the introduction of Awaab’s Law heralds change and increased accountability.  While we all agree the changes are necessary to prevent future tragedies happening again, the landscape for compliance is demanding. This situation will be exacerbated further as time passes with tenants more empowered than ever to hold landlords legally accountable, and timelines for acceptable responses get even stricter.

Under Awaab’s Law, social housing landlords must:

• Investigate damp and mould complaints within 14 days.
• Provide written findings within 48 hours.
• Commence repairs within 7 days.
• Resolve emergency hazards within 24 hours, or relocate tenants if necessary.

A case in point: The Housing Ombudsman has stated that “around half of their casework still concerns damp and mould.”  This shows exactly where the regulatory bodies are homing in and underlines to critical importance of working with a partner who can really help for in short-term and long-term.

For our clients, managing agents and property landlords who look after large and varied housing stocks, the challenges multiply and we’re working with many to deliver solutions that eradicate problems. Sticking plasters and short-term solutions are not acceptable when people’s health is at risk.

Read our technical bulletins on how to spot DMC, how to tell the difference, and how to resolve them.

https://www.kenwoodplc.co.uk/blog/

ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme: systemic failures: as if grappling with new legislation isn’t enough, failed legacy projects are surfacing which require immediate attention, and illustrate the severe costs – health and financial – of getting it wrong. Heralded as a magic bullet, but now reality shows, ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme have failed. We know now that more than 30,000 homes had botched insulation fitted under these Government schemes, putting them at high risk of damp and mould. It is the first time the government has documented the number of homes blighted by sub-standard work under ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme since 2022.

The question is: how many more properties are there? Where people thought they were doing the right thing, but the system let them down? Were your properties dealt with under these schemes? Do you need immediate help?

Contact our dedicated Social Housing Remedial Team: SocialHousing@kenwoodplc.co.uk

Under the weather

Although memories are short and it may not feel like it now, we’ve just had our hottest summer on record. Great for our social lives, but bad for damp and mould. Hot summers contribute to damp mould by increasing warm, moist air, which holds more water vapor and promotes the growth of mould spores that thrive on moisture and organic material. This high humidity creates condensation on cooler surfaces like windows and walls, especially when indoor air isn’t well-ventilated. Additionally, warm external conditions can accelerate rising damp through porous walls, further increasing moisture levels within a property.

Cold winters lead to damp mould because the warm, moist air inside homes condenses on cold, poorly insulated surfaces, creating damp conditions where mould can thrive. This is exacerbated in winter as people close windows and use heating, trapping moisture and encouraging condensation. The resulting moisture and stagnant air, especially in unventilated areas, provide the perfect breeding ground for mould, which requires dampness to grow.

Why does it matter? Because according to the Met Office, climate change could see our seasons become more extreme. The UK has a 50:50 chance of seeing temperatures of 40C or more again in the next 12 years, and temperatures of 45C or more may be possible. In parallel, paradoxically, some scientists are warning that climate change could see temperatures in London reaching lows of -19C, a staggering 16C colder than lows in the 1800s, before humans began warming the climate.

Working together

The above challenges, short- mid- and long-term, are daunting. At Kenwood we understand this and are here to help landlords remediate, plan and future proof when it comes to damp, mould and condensation challenges.

We firmly believe that the market will only rise to these challenges and ensure residents are safe and healthy, by working together. This approach is at our very core. Established for over forty years and attending over 20,000 properties each year, we urge landlords to reach out to us, joining tens of thousands property professionals and landlords, to work with a specialist who safeguards everything that matters most: bricks and mortar, reputation, and most importantly, residents’ lives.”

For more information, email SocialHousing@kenwoodplc.co.uk or call Michael Pierri, on 0208 950 9070  for a free, exploratory call on to see how we can help keep your properties and residents safe.