Independent review of social housing provider’s damp and mould reporting procedures

Background

Recent investigations carried out by the Housing Ombudsman into Orbit Group’s handling of damp and mould within its housing stock resulted in a determination of one instance of maladministration and one severe maladministration and lead to the ombudsman ordering an independent review to be carried out pursuant to its powers as set out within paragraph 54(F) of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme.

This power was introduced with the intention of raising the regulatory standards which apply to the country’s social housing stock and to extend fairness and protection to other residents as well as providing redress on individual complaints.

Notwithstanding that the independent review found that Orbit’s systems for registering, tracking and analysing damp and mould cases were fit for purpose, 15 recommendations were made nonetheless, including:

• Devising processes and systems to respond to damp and mould to meet the guidance issued by the Government, to ensure compliance with the Ombudsman’s spotlight report on damp and mould and knowledge and information management.
• Implementation of a wider Asset Management Strategy to focus on consistent delivery of capital improvement programmes.
• Development of a strategic solution to learning and development.
• Implementation of a detailed audit to be conducted on a sample of randomly selected cases either by an internal scrutiny panel or by external auditors; and
• To ascertain and understand any blockers that may prevent residents from reporting damp and mould cases.

Comment

The recommendations of the independent review are indicative of the general approach being adopted by those with regulatory and supervisory roles within the social housing sector. Given the recommendations, notwithstanding the fact Orbit’s systems were deemed adequate, social housing landlords would be well advised to consider the recommendations alongside their own existing systems for registering, tracking and analysing damp and mould cases, and make adjustments as necessary, to comply with these recommendations.