Report and Presentation attached.

At the request of the sub-committee, the Assistant Director of Housing Property Services provided Members with the Council’s current Damp and Mould Policy and the recent revisions relating to Awaab’s Law. 

The Assistant Director of Housing Property Services advised the sub-committee of some of the measures that are currently being undertaken to ensure compliance.

A new Damp and Mould policy was approved by Cabinet on 11^th June 2025. The revised policy sets out how the Council will deal with Dampness and Mould and clarifies the Council’s commitment to supporting residents’ health and wellbeing, through addressing any detected presence of damp and mould in its properties.

The new Damp and Mould Policy is based on the proposed Awaab’s Law, the Housing Act 2004 and the Decent Homes Standard and sets out to clarify the Council’s commitment to supporting residents’ health and wellbeing, through addressing any detected presence of damp and mould in its properties.

The Sub-Committee was advised that the policy confirms the Council’s commitment to comply with the current legislation and explains the circumstances in which we will manage the treatment of damp and mould.

The Assistant Director of Housing Property Services stated that the Damp and Mould issue within Havering is a complex matter with many contributing factors:

•       The Havering housing stock consists of older buildings which often come with low thermal efficiency.

•       Low thermal efficiency can create surface areas that are more prone to condensation. If left untreated, condensation allows mould to occur.

•       Housing pressures and overcrowding with larger families residing within smaller dwellings allows for excess moisture production.

•       Cost of living pressures prevent residents from heating their homes effectively.

•       Complex residents require additional support and strains already stretched services.

Members were advised that Havering have introduced the Damp and Mould MOT approach to help support residents over the cold winter periods when some of Havering’s property archetypes are prone to condensation based mould.  This provides mould treatments once a month for 4 months with a surveyors inspection which can determine and raise any required or additional remedial works.

The Sub-Committee noted the service are actively collecting and using data to highlight areas that are more prone to condensation based mould. This includes short-term and longer-term environmental monitoring, and thermal imaging surveys at scale.

Following discussion and question, Members agreed the following recommendations for officers to take away and consider for follow-up action.

Recommendations:

1. Data Analysis & Predictive Modelling
   The Sub-Committee to follow up with the officers/service regarding the feasibility of predicting damp and mould issues using demographic and community group data. This will support targeted intervention efforts.
2. Councillor Training
   The Sub-Committee suggested providing training for councillors on identifying early signs of damp and mould. While this has already been raised at Cabinet level, it was agreed it should be reiterated as a formal recommendation.
3. Annual Resident Communication
   The Sub-Committee recommended the introduction of an annual communication to all residents regarding damp and mould issues. This information should also be included in the resident welcome packs for new tenants.
4. Review of Housing Policy
   It was proposed that the housing policy be reviewed to ensure adequate priority is given to residents experiencing damp and mould, even prior to formal medical diagnosis.
5. Follow-Up Reporting
   Officers are asked to return to the sub-committee in December to provide an update on the use of demographic data to identify households at risk of damp and mould.
6. Communication Strategy
   The communications team should actively promote current advice and preventative information via social media, particularly during seasonal spikes in reported damp and mould issues.
7. Exploration of Additional Metrics
   Officers are to explore the feasibility of identifying further metrics that correlate with the presence of damp and mould. This would allow for a more proactive, group-level response where appropriate.
8. Annual Follow-Up Strategy
   It was proposed that an annual follow-up with affected households be built into the wider strategy to monitor long-term progress and outcomes.

The Sub-Committee proposed to Officers to report back within two months on demographic-based predictive analysis and return with a written update to Members in December 2025.