A recent report indicates a significant increase in claims related to social housing disrepair, with some sources suggesting a near five-fold rise. Many of which relate to mould. This surge is attributed to factors such as inadequate government funding, lack of building capacity, and a decline in the supply of social and affordable housing.
As an RICS member, building consultancy principal and University lecturer, I wanted to add my ‘two penn’orth’.
The majority of inspections we attend, and I’ve personally been to several hundred, relate to an inability to contact and get any formalised agreement from the landlord.
However, the landlord is somewhat tied with regard to framework agreements and the ability to actually do something, given the old housing stock, and an inability to actually perform a unified recommended course of action.
You may have seen me say on here before that there is also the issue of mould growth potentially being related to the occupational use of the premises, and not just the characteristics of the property itself. It’s very difficult to diagnose mould growth and other defects when the tenant is in full occupation with an awful lot of storage of furniture and other belongings. Additionally, it’s impossible to determine whether the boiler is used on a regular basis, and whether the cost of heating and the cost of utilities means that there’s no regular heating or adequate ventilation used in the property, because everything’s switched off.
So there is a perfect storm here, and that is most definitely agreed. IT’s often where disputes occur.
The fact that the central government is restricting payments being made to local authorities, there’s a lack of desire to increase council tax by any central margin, and an inability to squeeze new developments into what is an existing housing stock, and an existing requirement. It’s very difficult for a social housing landlord to deal with these aspects on a prolific basis.
I suggest the reason for such a wholesale increase in the claims being made is also stimulated by some of the solicitors who are on a no-win, no-fee basis, knocking on doors trying to generate income. The issue with that is it stimulates a frustration between the tenant and the landlord, which appears to be the case of virtually all inspections, where the landlord is being berated for not having answered a telephone message or responded to issues that have been previously raised. This then causes discord between landlord and tenant, and a subsequent claim is forthcoming, revved up by the solicitors who are on no-win, no fee.
As we complete HDR surveys and reports for housing associations and local authority landlords, we do see a lot of this, and I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.
If you would like to discuss how we can help you, just get in touch, we’ll be happy to talk it through.
