Following the opening of the Awaab’s Law consultation, Elta has urged landlords and contractors to collaborate with ventilation manufacturers to prevent damp and mould in social housing from spiralling.
The consultation proposes stricter time limits on landlords and social housing providers, who will be legally required to fix any reported dangerous hazards within 14 days. When looking into the extent of the issue, a report from the Health and Social Care Committee found that 0.2% of social homes, or approximately 88,000 social homes, have a serious problem with damp and mould.
Vikrant Bhatt, director at Elta, said: “When left in homes to grow, damp and mould can have a severe impact on tenants. Not only can it be unsightly, but it can be highly detrimental to peoples’ health. This can result in individuals being forced to take time off work and seek medical treatment for a respiratory condition that could have been prevented.
“For social housing providers and landlords, serious cases can be difficult to eliminate without making changes to the building’s ventilation. It is due to this that making changes to the air flow is vital to prevent damp and mould developing. By making it harder for mould to breed, social housing providers and landlords can ensure their residents have a suitable home to live in.”
Damp and mould are caused by a lack of positive air flow within a residence resulting in the perfect environment for fungus to grow, a statement said. The installation of a mechanical ventilation system ensures that dry air is continuously pumped throughout the building, preventing fungus from developing, it noted.
Elta has launched a new division, Elta Trade, to help social housing providers, landlords, contractors, and homeowners tackle mould and damp. The company said that the new area of the business aims to help tradespeople improve air management in properties by helping them find systems that are compliant with the Building Regulations.
Vikrant continued: “This new guidance means that social housing providers and landlords must quickly manage issues within a two-week timeframe, something that might cause stress to those tackling reoccurring issues such as mould.
“Ensuring damp doesn’t occur in the first place is vital and should mean those living in the property never have to raise the concern while saving the landlord time and money in the long-term.”
Elta stated that when installing a system, knowing what the correct ventilation rate is for a building can be difficult to calculate. To help mitigate this issue, the company said its Elta Trade Calculator can provide accurate data.
Vikrant added: “Elta Trade is here to help contractors and landlords understand how they can implement these new recommendations, meeting regulations and ensuring that those living in the properties have a positive experience. Damp can be a difficult issue for all involved so getting ahead of it is the best move forward.”