New team set to tackle mould and damp in council homes

Swansea Council has created the specialist team which will take quick action when residents report mould and damp and has been prompted by a rise in reports following media coverage on mould problems nationally.

The Council's housing maintenance teams have previously dealt with both damp issues and reports about mould in council homes as part of their day to day responsibilities, which also include other housing repairs but felt there was a need to create a dedicated team.

Advice is also provided to council tenants to help them deal with any build-up of condensation at their home, which is the main cause of mould in a closed environment.

Maintenance teams within the Council and specialist contractors have been working for a number of years to ensure all its council housing stock meets national government standards, more commonly known as Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS).

The WHQS has now been met and more than 13,000 council homes have been upgraded with new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and roofs as well as improvements to make homes warmer and less vulnerable to damp.

Andrea Lewis, Cabinet Member for Service Transformation, said: "During the last few years we have invested millions upgrading council homes so that they meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

"We've made a huge difference for families living in our city, providing safe, warm homes for people to live in.

"Our Housing Maintenance Team already responds to calls about damp and mould problems and carry out the work where needed.

"Reports of mould have risen in recent months and we felt it was necessary to create a dedicated team that can deal with tenants' concerns as quickly as possible. We're also mindful of the recent news about mould and the health risks and it's vital we make sure tenants feel safe in their homes and they get a quick response."

A dedicated webpage has also been set up on the Council's main website which provides advice and tips to deal with mould https://www.swansea.gov.uk/tenantcondensationproblems