A child living in a flat plagued by mould was admitted to hospital with multiple chest infections. His mum struggled to get their housing association to repair various problems in their home, according to a local charity.
A branch of Citizens Advice has spoken of the cases it has been dealing with in relation to a lack of response from housing associations when it comes to vital repairs and maintenance, including one where a child had been sleeping in a bedroom that had damp and mould.
In this case, after the mum struggled to get her housing association to respond, the family's GP believes mouldsent a letter expressing concerns about their breathing problems. Citizens Advice said the child had recently been “admitted to hospital with multiple chest infections” and the London housing association “eventually began to act” after a formal complaint and the GP’s letter.
The charity helped 731 locals with 2,100 issues in February – including 360 housing issues. In its update for the month, Citizens Advice Richmond (CAR) said it is approached by many people whose landlords won’t repair faults which reduces the energy efficiency of their homes – leading to higher energy bills and sometimes “severe illness”.
A spokesperson for CAR said: “Energy costs have soared, and we were pleased when the government helped by providing energy discounts, the energy price guarantee and other support for low-income households. However, for many people energy bills would be lower in the first place if landlords responded adequately to the need to improve energy efficiency by carrying out repairs promptly, particularly to address issues such as damp/mould, poorly fitted windows and doors and inadequate insulation.
“We would like to see more pressure put on landlords, in both the social housing and private sectors, to address these shortcomings. One of our local MPs, Sarah Olney, is currently introducing a Private Members’ Bill in Parliament designed to ensure that all domestic properties achieve at least EPC Band C by 2033. We support this, and other measures which would lead to more energy efficient homes – and hence to lower bills, a lower carbon future and better health.”
