Agenda item

To note the initial findings of the housing stock condition surveys (report of the Assistant Director – Housing enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Housing which asked the Performance Monitoring Panel to note the initial findings of housing stock condition surveys.

The Housing Property and Repairs Manager, the Assistant Director – Housing and the Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing were in attendance for this item.

In addition, two representatives from the Regulator of Social Housing, Rachael Walsh and James Brookfield, observed the item via Teams.

The Housing Property and Repairs Manager introduced the report which included information relating to the following areas:

• Background, including that:
  • The Regulator of Social Housing had mandated, through approved Consumer Standards, that Registered Providers held an accurate evidenced-based understanding of the condition of their properties to ensure the provision of good quality, well maintained and safe homes for tenants; and
  • The services of a contractor had been procured to undertake comprehensive and detailed surveys of all residential council dwellings and associated assets within the HRA;
• That 2133 properties had been surveyed, from a total of 3927 issued to the contractor. Since the report had been published, a further 281 surveys had been completed;
• Initial stock survey findings and survey representation by area are set out in the report;
• Decent Homes, the Housing, Health and Safety rating system and energy efficiency are all areas of focus within the surveys;
• The report highlighted the following themes: damp, condensation and mould (DCM); a proactive approach to identify issues was being taken;
• Fire safety;
• Energy Performance;
• Utilisation of data to inform planning and prioritisation of works;
• A future programme for assessing the condition of homes would need to be  considered and agreed;
• Interim findings; and
• That a final report summarising the findings and next steps would be presented to the panel in due course.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members noted the report summary which stated that the Regulator for Social Housing adopted a co-regulatory approach. In this respect Councillors were held responsible for ensuring that the Council, in its role as a registered provider of social housing, was delivering the outcomes of consumer standards. Members stated that such responsibilities were usually held corporately, and that the approach taken by the regulator clearly alerted Councillors to their responsibilities.   

• Members queried whether affordability was a factor regarding dealing with damp and mould.

o   The Housing Property and Repairs Manager responded that likely causes of damp and mould would be assessed. Any causation issues relating to the structure of the building would be addressed. In addition, the Cost Of Living team offered damp and mould prevention and remedial guidance to tenants.

• Members queried point 2 of the report regarding the procurement of MLCS3 to conduct stock condition surveys. Who were the company and on basis was the contract awarded?
  • The Housing Property and Repairs Manager responded that MLCS3 was an organisation which carried out stock condition surveys throughout the housing sector. With support from the procurement team, a full tender programme had been undertaken which had resulted in the awarding of the contract to MLCS3. The company were able to undertake the required activities of the Decent Homes Survey, Energy Efficiency Certificate assessment and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) assessment.

• Members asked whether damp and mould issues were more prevalent in certain property types.
  • The Housing Property and Repairs Manager responded that detailed analysis of such data would be undertaken on the completion of the stock condition surveys and the findings reported to the committee.

• Members expressed concern that the stock condition surveys had identified category 1 hazards and queried the process which advised tenants how they could submit their own reports, ‘easily and directly’. Any perceived stigma regarding damp and mould reporting needed to be removed.
  • The Housing Property and Repairs Manager responded that:
    • Tenants were encouraged to report damp and mould issues and reporting methods for all repairs were outlined in tenants’ newsletters and on the SHDC website. An explanatory leaflet had also recently been circulated to tenants encouraging the timely reporting of repairs;
    • The breakdown of stigma to report was essential to ensure that all homes were safe. On this note, a communication piece to include the message ‘it’s okay to report’ would be undertaken; and
    • A recent change had enabled damp and mould reports to be made easily and directly to the Damp and Mould team. This ensured cases were able to be triaged and appropriate action swiftly taken.
  • The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing added that:
    • The Independent Living Newsletter clearly detailed the direct reporting methods but also included that support could be sought through a Housing Officer or Independent Living Officer who could make a report on behalf of the resident; and
    • Where damp and mould had been addressed, a follow-up review was undertaken with the tenant after a six-month period to assess the improvements. This was a relatively new initiative and therefore results awaited completion of the initial six-month period.

• Members queried the information they would be provided for performance monitoring purposes and whether sufficient financial and human resources were in place for the required duties to be undertaken.
  • The Housing Property and Repairs Manager responded that:
    • Regular reports would be coming back to the panel for monitoring purposes;
    • Although the undertaking of stock condition surveys was an ongoing cycle of work, the percentage of stock condition surveys completed at any one time could be reported. The data from the reports informed the priorities and strategy of the service over a rolling five-year period;
    • Regarding resources:
      • A budget had been allocated for the surveys to be undertaken, as per the tender process; and
      • Outcomes from the surveys were discharged through existing internal resources with support from contractors as required.

• A member highlighted examples in their ward where the housing repairs team had provided a swift and efficient service in dealing with damp and mould reports and the follow-up service was much welcomed.

• Members agreed that an additional recommendation be made to Cabinet which ensured that both financial and human resources be in place to undertake the required duties.

AGREED:

a)    That the work underway to survey all residential council homes and associate assets be noted by the panel;

b)    That the feedback provided by the panel be noted; and

c)    That an additional recommendation be made to Cabinet that both financial and human resources needed to be in place to undertake the required duties.