It’s coming up to two years since the removal of the Chief Executive of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing following the tragic death of two year-old Awaab Ishak from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to mould.
Awaab’s Law was thereafter introduced in the landmark Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and requires landlords to investigate and fix reported health hazards within specified timeframes. This allows the Regulator to act before people are at risk. It gives the Regulator stronger powers, including the power to impose unlimited fines.
In July 2024, the new Labour government announced a new Renters’ Rights Bill which will extend Awaab’s Law to the private sector.
Yet, mould remains a major issue in the UK and is expected to worsen.
According to Citizens Advice, in 2024, 45% of private renters in England are experiencing mould, damp or excessive cold while the Regulator of Social Housing estimates that 3-4% of social homes in England (140.000 homes) have notable damp and mould in 2023.
Given the serious health implications, and work required to remedy an outbreak of mould, it’s a growing concern for insurers.
With increasingly stringent regulations in the UK, it’s critical that both policy holders and their insurers understand the causes of mould, how to address it, and how to prevent it.
So, what’s behind the growing mould problem? And what actions can be taken to mitigate the risk?
The situation is getting worse
While environmental conditions and the occupiers’ lifestyle are often blamed, modern construction materials and methods are exacerbating the problem. Given that there is unlikely to be a change in construction methods and materials anytime soon, most in the industry expect the situation will only get worse.
Where occupants aren’t putting the heating on over the winter, for example, changes in temperature between the internal and external environment may encourage condensation and increase the risk of mould developing. That said, many forms of construction are prone to mould risk due to their structural and material design. For example, buildings from the 60s and 70s, which were largely concrete framed, with limited insulation properties, often suffer from cold bridging – a weak spot in the insulation structure where a warmer surface meets a colder one and encourages condensation.
Moreover, materials now commonly used, such as plasterboard and MDF timber mouldings can also exacerbate the issue and make mitigation and remediation more difficult. For example, plasterboard is now more prevalent than older hardbacked systems. When subject to wet perils the damage management industry has a limited timeframe to mitigate plasterboard-related losses prior to the onset of mould growth.
Actions to mitigate
When there is an insured event, such as escape of water, or flooding, resulting in excessive moisture in such buildings, mould can develop quickly and must be dealt with in the correct way to avoid reoccurrence.
Education around the risk of mould is critical and many insurers continue their work around enhancing their customers’ knowledge and understanding around the subject.
The key lessons for landlords are around both the causes of mould and the importance of addressing defects and causes quickly. The golden rule with mould is that prompt action is needed to stop mould becoming established and subsequently breeding. You can’t just paint over mould, it’s crucial you deal with the root cause.
Landlords therefore need to be mindful that where there is evidence of mould, they should seek the advice of a competent Chartered Building Surveyor or Mitigation Specialist to ensure that any building defects are addressed, and the environmental conditions and performance of the building is functioning correctly.
It’s crucial that landlords notify their insurers ASAP when they suspect a peril has been triggered. It’s also very important for landlords to get the right technical support, defect analysis and building pathology. Testing mould provides accurate identification of its type and potential causes within a home. At Mclarens we have invested in leading technology and staff training to undertake on site surface and air testing providing rapid quantification of all fungal particles present. The results offer analysis and interpretation, enabling professionals to address the issue effectively.
