Leeds City Council outlines action plan for damp and mould as complaints double

Complaints of damp and mould in Leeds council houses rose by 120% at the end of last year. The concerns kept growing following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in Rochdale back in 2020. The coroner’s report in November 2022 found prolonged exposure to mould caused the child’s fatal respiratory condition. 

On the 9th of February, the government tabled an amendment called Awaab’s Law to the Social Housing Regulation Bill, which it’s expected to pass in the Commons with cross-party support. It imposes strict time limits on landlords to fix damp and mould. The change follows the sustained campaign of Awaab Ishak’s family. 

Leeds City Council’s executive board discussed their strategy to combat damp and mould in social housing the day before the amendment was made. The council meeting responded to a 2021 report by the independent monitoring service, the Housing Ombudsman. Their report advocated a “zero tolerance” approach and criticised an irresponsible culture where landlords blame tenants’ “lifestyles” for damp and mould.

The council’s strategy includes the creation of a specific damp and mould team which tenants can contact directly, training all staff who enter homes to detect damp and mould, and providing preventative advice to tenants. The council also announced an added £5 million budget for repairs, on top of the £85 million announced in 2019 for preventative measures. 

Damp and mould in Leeds social housing are lower than rates across England. No category one hazards were identified, compared to 0.2% of council homes nationally. However, for the 1,692 homes identified as having category two hazards, there is a troubling risk to health. Damp and mould can cause respiratory issues, as well as taking a significant toll on the mental wellbeing of tenants.

Recently, Leeds City Council has faced criticism for its social housing after the Ombudsman said there was “severe maladministration” in repairing a water leak. The council publicly apologised and paid £1000 in compensation to the tenant. Other reports of Leeds council homes falling short of the Decent Homes Standard includes the home of Leanne Thompson. Two out of three of her children are now living with their grandmother due to the untreated black mould in her home. Leeds City Council responded that the complaint about her home in 2023 was the first they’d received since 2016.

The national Cost of Living crisis worsens the problem of damp and mould. Rising energy costs and fuel poverty makes it harder for tenants to prevent problems by heating and ventilating their homes. In 2019, an estimated 57,492 households in Leeds experienced fuel poverty- which was a rise of 6.5% on the previous year. Whilst the 2019 data is the most recent available, the inflation rate last year being the highest in 40 years exacerbated fuel poverty and less tenants can afford to prevent this hazard.