A special investigation has been launched into the London boroughs of Camden and Hackney after the Housing Ombudsman found they were struggling to tackle damp and mould.
Both councils have either high maladministration rates or increasing findings when it comes to damp and mould, repairs, and complaint handling. Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway has launched a special investigation to determine whether these issues are ‘indicative of wider failings’.
‘Complaints are an essential tool for landlords to learn and improve. We have concerns about how each landlord has handled these types of complaints and will therefore use paragraph 49 of our Scheme to investigate further,’ said Mr Blakeway.
‘Safe and secure social housing has never been more important and the learning from these reports will help strengthen the landlords approach to important areas and improve outcomes for residents.’
A statement from Hackney Council said: ‘We recognise and apologise that at times the service we have provided our residents has not met the standards we expect, and they deserve.
‘Changes we have introduced over the last 18 months to the way we work is resulting in faster response times for completing repairs and tackling leaks as well as damp and mould. We have made a commitment to inspect reports of damp and mould within five days and to visit reports of leaks by the end of the next day.’
Camden Council cabinet member for Better homes, Cllr Meric Apak, said: ‘We want every one of our tenants to live in a home that is safe, dry, and warm. And we are absolutely determined to deliver on this despite the mounting financial challenge that we face. After years of underfunding from government, councils with large housing stocks like ours have been stretched to the limit and resources have been overwhelmed.
‘However, we have not shied away. Instead, we have set up new teams to tackle damp and mould and to make repairs. We welcome the opportunity to work with the Ombudsman at this crucial time, as we establish higher standards across our services.’
