Agenda item - Adopting an Updated Damp and Mould Policy

Report of the Corporate Director of Adults, Housing and Health. To be presented by the Cabinet Member for Housing & Planning (Deputy Leader);

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST FOR THIS ITEM:

None

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

Approved the updated Damp and Mould Policy at Appendix 1, having had regard to the Equality Impact Assessment at Appendix 2, to come into effect from 3 February 2026.
Delegated to the Corporate Director Adults, Housing and Health in consultation with the relevant Cabinet member for Housing and Planning any future changes to this policy required by changes to legal or regulatory requirements arising in the three-year period before the policy was due for review.

Reasons for decision

This policy outlined the Council’s approach to tenancy management for Council tenants and for their wider households. It also helped the Council meet the Social Housing Regulator’s consumer standards, specifically the Tenancy Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

Alternative options considered

The Council could have treated all damp and mould cases via its existing repairs process and decided not to design and implement a damp and mould policy. This option was rejected since there was an expectation, from government and residents, that the Council, as a social housing landlord, would have a policy in place which set out its approach to dealing with issues relating to damp and mould.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, and Deputy Leader of the Council introduced the report.

It was explained by the Cabinet Member that the Council aimed to improve fairness across Haringey, including ensuring that residents had access to safe, warm and affordable homes. Damp and mould were identified as issues that should not be present in residential properties. It was explained that the Council sought to address these conditions as part of its housing responsibilities.

It was stressed that the Council adopted a zero?tolerance approach to damp and mould. This policy, first introduced in 2023, was updated to reflect the introduction of Awaab’s Law and the associated new timescales for responding to damp and mould. It outlined how the council intended to provide and maintain dry, warm and healthy homes for tenants and leaseholders.

It was explained that resident insight had contributed to the development of the policy, including input from the Resident Voice Board and the Residents’ Repairs and Maintenance Continuous Improvement Group. These groups provided ongoing engagement in the formation of housing policies.

It was noted that, across the borough, the Council had retrofitted and refurbished council homes. The Estate Renovation Plan allocated more than £500 million to home improvement works over a ten?year period.

Following questions from Cllr Emery, the following points were made:

It was highlighted that the Government was reviewing potentially increasing powers to monitor the private rented sector for alleviating damp and mould. It was noted that the proposed policy was focussed on Council owned properties, however it was stressed that the Council worked to regulate the private sector on damp and mould, to ensure that residents did not live in damp and mouldy premises.
It was explained that the usage of different types of insulation in Council owned properties would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the most appropriate would be installed.
It was noted that the Council was reviewing a range of options for energy provision as part of the asset management strategy and electrical inspection programme, and would implement the most appropriate option.