Elected Member Briefing - Update on approach to tackling damp, mould and condensation issues in Council tenancies

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Elaine Ritchie, Senior Service Manager, Housing 

EMBN Number: 024-25

Date: 11 February 2025Subject: Update on approach to tackling damp, mould and condensation issues in Council tenancies

Details

Purpose

This briefing note is to update on our approach to tackling damp, mould and condensation issues in Council tenancies

Briefing Information

Current situation

The Council's current housing stock consists of 8,053 properties across four housing localities.

Table 1 below provides the volume of work orders and annual spend by the Housing Service related to condensation, damp, and mould growth over the last two years, plus numbers to date.

Table 2 provides this information by housing locality.

Table 1 - Condensation, Damp and Mould - Spend & Works Orders Completed  

Table 2 - Condensation, Damp and Mould - Spend & (WOs) by Locality

Location and Cause

The works orders issued throughout the three-year period are predominantly for condensation or condensation-related mould growth. Most works orders are issued requesting an anti-fungal wash/paint for mould growth following inspection. 

The location of the mould growth is typically located in bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, or hallways. From repairs inspections, our findings evidence that the overarching causes for most of these cases are as follows and many could be addressed by changes to habits or lifestyle:

• Lack of appropriate heating or ventilation e.g., opening windows or trickle vents
• Cold spots on external walls
• Room(s) not being used or heated / uneven heat throughout property
• Washing being dried indoors without adequate ventilation
• Unvented tumble driers
• Overcrowding
• Furniture against external walls or no space around furniture
• A mix of any of the above

Letham Locality

In the Letham Locality there are nine complex cases where current work or tenancy support is in place to resolve condensation and related mould growth. These cases include:

• Four tenancies with external consultant surveys requested
• Two tenancies with extensive works carried out
• Two tenancies with thermal paint applied and ongoing monitoring
• One tenancy where Positive Input Ventilation installation has been requested (awaiting funding approval)
• One case where a solicitor is representing the tenant. The claims have been investigated and are unfounded and will be defended by PKC
• All have Internet of Things household sensors installed

City Locality

There are eight complex cases in the City Locality as follows:

• Two cases where mould treatment has been carried out and continues to be monitored
• Four tenancies with Inducoat paint applied and ongoing monitoring.  Inducoat is a long-lasting anti-mould paint designed to remain effective for as long as it is applied to walls or ceilings
• Seven tenancies where IoT sensors have been installed to gather data and understand the root cause of mould
• Four tenancies where specialist works have been approved and are due to start imminently
• One case where cavity wall insulation is to be removed and upgraded by the Capital Improvements team

North Locality

There are a total of 10 complex cases in the North Locality with ongoing work to treat condensation and mould. Of the six chalets at Bobbin Mill, Gypsy/Traveller site, three have reported minor condensation and mould growth, which is being addressed:

• All 10 cases have ongoing works and regular monitoring
• Six cases involve external damp and condensation specialists
• Two cases require full refurbishment and solum groundworks
• Three cases have had thermal paint applied and are being monitored
•  Seven tenancies have IoT sensors installed to gather data and understand the root cause of mould

 South Locality

There are a total of 9 active complex cases in the South Locality:

• Two cases where mould treatment has been carried out and are being monitored
• Two tenancies have had Inducoat paint applied and are being monitored
• Five tenancies have IoT sensors installed to gather data and understand the root cause of mould
• Three tenancies have had specialist works approved, with work due to start imminently
• One case where Internal Wall Insulation works are to be carried out by the Capital Improvements team

Current Process

Perth and Kinross Council has a robust process in place for preventing and addressing damp and mould in our homes.

When a complaint is received, it often relates to household condensation-related mould growth. Condensation can build up through everyday activities like drying clothes indoors, showering, or cooking.

We work proactively with tenants to prevent condensation and mould growth by providing regular advice through our website, YouTube channel, social media, leaflets, and the tenants' newsletter. We also offer advice during the tenancy sign-up process, through the lettings pack, and via annual tenancy visits.

Any issues related to condensation, mould, cold spots, etc, are addressed during the void process. We also install environmental sensors in preparation for new tenancies.

All Housing staff are trained to provide up-to-date advice and support for preventing and dealing with condensation, damp, and mould growth.

When a case of mould is identified or reported, we respond by:

• Inspecting the property and providing initial advice on how to safely clean and remove mould, and how to prevent condensation build-up.
• Providing information on the main causes of condensation and how to prevent it
• Supporting vulnerable tenants or those unable to remove mould themselves by arranging for the affected areas to be cleaned and painted with an anti-fungicidal wash or thermal paint
• Providing anti-fungal packs (mould spray and sponges) to tenants, where appropriate, to help them treat and prevent mould growth.

Most cases are resolved at the initial inspection with the support and advice provided.

In more complex cases, our Housing Condition Team will provide additional support to resolve the issue. The team aims to prevent problems with damp and mould from developing and potentially harming tenants' wellbeing by proactively identifying issues across our housing stock.

This approach involves more than just stock condition surveys. We will also use environmental sensors, insights from Locality staff and Repairs Inspectors, and input from colleagues responsible for capital improvement projects.

Key elements of an effective approach by the team include:

1. Proactive Assessments: Conduct proactive assessments of stock condition using a data-informed, risk-based approach to prioritise properties particularly susceptible to damp and mould.

2. Staff Training: Train all Housing staff to identify and respond to damp and mould, treating every home visit as an opportunity to identify issues.

3. Tenant Encouragement: Encourage tenants to report damp and mould by sharing information on the risks and providing clear, simple methods for reporting issues.

4. Prompt Response: Respond promptly to reports of damp and mould.

5. Root Cause Assessment: Assess the property to identify the root cause of the issue and take action to resolve any elemental breakdowns.

6. Problem Treatment: Treat the problem based on its severity, focusing on resolving the root cause. Provide tenants with sensitive advice on minimizing moisture build-up and reducing condensation risk without blaming lifestyle factors.

7. Follow-Up: Check that the steps taken have resolved the issue. If not, take further action until the issue is resolved.

8. Record Keeping: Record all actions taken and ensure this data is linked to other information about the property, household, and previous repair works.

9. Complaint Handling: If the case escalates to a complaint or disrepair claim, continue taking all possible steps to resolve the issue.

10. Learning and Improvement: Learn from past cases to improve processes and consider which property types may need further proactive work to prevent damp and mould.

Throughout all stages, clear communication with tenants and a focus on skills and professionalism by the team are essential. We ensure that processes to tackle condensation and related damp and mould involve support from other teams within PKC or external partners to support tenants, such as helping to maximise household income levels. This requires an effective referral process to bring teams together around the tenant, rather than having the tenant report the same issue repeatedly.

Summary

The Housing Service has a robust approach to supporting and managing cases of condensation, mould, or damp. The introduction of environmental sensors provides a proactive approach to these issues, offering early alerts to environmental or air quality problems that could lead to condensation, mould, or damp. This allows us to take early intervention, provide advice and support to tenants, or direct them to further assistance regarding fuel poverty.

The creation and implementation of the Housing Condition Team, approved through the rent-setting approach, will create closer links between planned cyclical maintenance and the prevention of issues within our housing stock. This will also ensure we are well-positioned to report and meet the new performance indicators that the Scottish Housing Regulator is implementing in relation to condensation mould and damp.