Wolverhampton Council Allocates £1.2M to Combat Damp and Mould

New data indicates that the City of Wolverhampton Council allocated £1.2 million to address issues of damp and mould within its properties during the past year. During the same timeframe, the council recorded 218 tenant complaints concerning damp and mould, information that was acquired by the law firm Legal Expert via a freedom of information request. Exposure to mould in residences can lead to respiratory illnesses, allergies, and asthma, with potential fatal outcomes in some instances. The council attributed an increase in tenant requests to heightened public awareness of the problem in recent years. The council expressed concern in October that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis might be contributing to a rise in private rented accommodations affected by mould and damp within the city. The authority stated its commitment to treating all reports of damp, mould, and condensation (DMC) with utmost seriousness, asserting it made “no apology for being proactive” and allocating extra resources for necessary enhancements. It further noted that most reported issues commonly involved windows, bathroom seals, and grouting, which were often simple to rectify, and confirmed its readiness to intervene to prevent worsening situations. A spokesperson commented, “We do everything we can to look after the health and wellbeing of our residents and make it a priority to address reports of DMC promptly.” The authority also indicated that it welcomed the heightened public awareness, believing it would aid in preventing more severe instances. The council stated that it was unable to provide comparative historical data on case numbers because its data collection methods changed before November 2022. This issue gained national prominence following the 2020 death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak due to mould in his Rochdale home, which led to the introduction of “Awaab’s Law” via a new renters’ rights bill, mandating social and private landlords to carry out improvements within defined timeframes. Information from BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the material on external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external linking.