FI15744
Request
I am submitting this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I would like to request data on reported cases of mould and damp in properties owned or managed by your council over the past three financial years (2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24).
1. Incidence of Mould and Damp Reports
How many reported cases of mould and/or damp have been recorded by the council in each of the last three financial years?
2. Number of Rooms Affected per Reported Case
For each reported case, how many rooms were affected? Please provide data in the following categories:
☐ 1 room
☐ 2 rooms
☐ 3 rooms
☐ 4 rooms
☐ 5+ rooms
☐ Other (please specify)
3. Type of Property Affected
For each reported case, what type of property was affected? Please provide the number of reports by property type:
☐ Studio flat
☐ 1-bedroom flat
☐ 2-bedroom flat
☐ 3-bedroom flat
☐ 4+ bedroom house
☐ Other (please specify)
4. Financial Cost of Remediation
What was the total financial expenditure on mould and damp remediation for each of the last three financial years?
If possible, please provide a breakdown of remediation costs by type of room affected (e.g., bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living room, hallway).
5. Timeframes for Resolution
What is the average time taken to resolve a reported case of mould and/or damp, from initial report to resolution? What is the longest and shortest time recorded for resolution in the past three years?
6. Repeat Cases
How many cases required repeat interventions after initial remediation work was completed? If available, please provide data on how soon after initial remediation a repeat case was reported (e.g., within 6 months, 6-12 months, 12+ months).
7. Data on Scent Detection Research
Has the council undertaken any trials or research into alternative methods of mould detection, such as the use of trained scent detection dogs or air quality monitoring technology? If so, please provide details of any pilot studies, outcomes, and costs incurred.
Response
- 2022/23: 416, 2023/24: 518 and 2024/25: 266
- The Council does not record individual rooms affected as we take a holistic view of the whole property. Therefore, the Council does not hold this information.
- The Council does not record individual property type when carrying out damp and mould work. Therefore, the Council does not hold this information.
- 2022/23: £168,000, 2023/24: £303,000 and 2024/25: £78,025. As stated above, the Council does not record individual rooms and carry out a holistic whole property approach and therefore a breakdown is not held.
- Longest and shortest dates can vary hugely dependant on the size of the works required to each case reported, some cases are simple mould wash others resolved in days others are far more advanced requiring surveys and damp proofing work. Our shortest recorded completion is one day, our longest recorded work is 320 days however the time recorded on this was heavily delayed due to tenant availability and access issues to complete the work. The average days to complete work is set out below and is inclusive of the remedial works required, initial mould wash works would have been carried out within a stricter timeline. 2022/23: Average 28 days, 2023/24: Average 37 days and 2024/25: Average 24 days.
- 39 current repeat cases for follow on works after the initial works were carried out, our policy is to follow up on reports of damp and mould over a 12-month period, so any further remediation works are generally identified during this period.
- No.