With Awaab’s Law coming into force later this year, Simeon Perry of EN:Able Communities looks at the role of education in helping to prevent damp and mould issues
Educating tenants about how to care for their homes is crucial if we are to tackle damp and mould issues.
Social housing landlords should be seriously considering investing in training programmes to improve existing stock and empower tenants to take charge of their own health and wellbeing.
A step in the right direction
The new Awaab’s Law – named after Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old boy who died from prolonged exposure to mould in the social home his family rented in Rochdale – comes into force in October.
Under the law, social landlords will be obliged to investigate and rectify dangerous damp and mould issues within a given time frame, while all emergency hazards must be fixed within 24 hours.
Figures from 2023 estimate that 3-4% of social housing properties in the UK have notable damp and mould, while 1-2% have serious Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) category 2 damp and mould problems.
These figures may seem low, but damp and mould issues can cause serious health problems such as respiratory issues, skin irritation and allergic reactions, so this is an issue that needs to be tackled urgently.
This new legislation is a positive step in acknowledging the dangers of prolonged exposure to damp and mould in the home, as well as the responsibility of landlords to ensure they are providing safe homes for tenants.
Too many social housing tenants have suffered as a result of being housed in poor quality or dangerous accommodation, and this law is vitally important for the future health of those being supported by social housing.
Awaab’s Law will be introduced through a phased approach, meaning the measures can be tested and tweaked so they will offer the most benefit to tenants. This also means the measures can be implemented quickly as they are applied to a limited number of issues at a time.
This legislation undoubtedly marks much-needed progress in the fight against damp and mould, but prevention is always better than cure. It’s therefore up to us as an industry to understand how we can tackle the root cause of the problem to prevent potentially serious issues further down the line, and fundamentally education is at the core of the solution.
Taking education seriously
Supporting both social housing landlords and tenants through education on the dangers and implications of damp, mould and condensation not only makes sense practically, but is also the right thing to do morally.
Many tenants are not aware of the simple actions they can take to reduce the risks in their homes, which could potentially improve their quality of life significantly. In some cases, tenants are placed into sub-standard homes and they therefore inherit an existing problem, so it’s crucial the correct guidance is in place to help reverse this.
At EN:Able Communities we offer education and training for social housing providers and their residents in partnership with Berneslai Homes, providing practical tips on how they can manage condensation, as well as educating them on what damp, mould and condensation are, and how to spot the warning signs that an issue could escalate into a bigger problem.
Simple measures such as opening windows and curtains can have a significant impact on preventing the development of damp and mould in the home, yet many tenants are not equipped with this knowledge.
It also often comes as a surprise that everyday activities such as cooking and cleaning can produce a huge amount of condensation, but the impact of this can be mitigated through taking the correct steps.
Our unique Damp and Mould Level 1 course is not only an initiative to empower residents, but is a fantastic example of just one of the options for landlords and operational staff to consider investing in for themselves too. It’s this proactive approach to alleviating problems before it’s too late that can make all the difference to keeping homes safe, and upskilling tenants with this knowledge will hopefully pay dividends in the long run.
Arming tenants with this information not only has the potential to improve their living conditions, but those of their local communities too. Numerous participants of our courses have gone onto share the tips they have learned with neighbours, friends and family members, causing a ripple effect of knowledge-sharing.
Tackling barriers to upskilling
Encouraging tenants to engage with training is not always straightforward, and steps must be taken to ensure this knowledge is accessible to all.
Enrolling on a course of any kind involves a large amount of administration, and many individuals lack the IT skills and confidence needed to complete this process. Equally, there is a lot of reading involved when learning about a new topic, and a proportion of the population lacks the literacy skills required to engage with this fully.
Creating an interactive, visual element to upskilling is one way to tackle this challenge. For example, using cups of water to demonstrate how much condensation can be produced through cooking a meal is a visual tactic that all participants can engage with.
It’s also important to consider that not all tenants will be able to attend in-person sessions, whether that’s due to mobility issues, work, or caring responsibilities. Creating flexible options means sessions can be more accessible to all, and providing the option of online participation is an easy way to address this.
Looking ahead
Focusing on education to address issues with damp and mould in the social housing sector is a no-brainer, and we know that contractors are behind this initiative too.
Aside from the crucial health benefits of preventing these issues, educating tenants and landlords saves a huge amount of time and money that would otherwise be spent on repairs.
There are clearly huge benefits for landlords and other operational staff including surveyors and housing officers too. The more people in the industry who are equipped with this knowledge, the better chance we have of getting to the root cause of the issue.
As acknowledged by the government, everyone deserves to live in a home that is decent, safe and secure.
Awaab’s law is a major step in the right direction. The government has rightly recognised the crucial role landlords need to take in keeping their tenants safe, and if we pair this with more dedicated education, we can work together to create safer housing for everyone.
Main image: Simeon Perry is head of operations at EN:Able Communities
Read next: Clarion signs deal with Legendre UK for Tower Hamlets project
Are you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
