The council has revealed that it has logged hundreds of new damp and mould hazard cases logged under “Awaab’s Law” since the legislation came into force in October.
Awaab’s Law requires social landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould within strict timeframes and repair all emergency hazards within 24 hours.
Cllr Danny Adilypour, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Housing insisted that Lambeth would “make sure we find the resources to fulfil those obligations.” Cllr Adilypour said that the council was already making safe damp and mould hazards 10 days, prior to the regulations coming into force, despite the lack of any additional funding.
A report explaining what the new law requires and how the council has prepared for it, was reviewed at a meeting of the council’s Housing Scrutiny Sub Committee (HSSC), held on 15 January. Lambeth estimates that meeting Awaab’s Law requirements could increase spending on damp and mould work by up to 40%, bringing annual costs to around £3 million. Social landlords must conduct certain repairs within a very strict timeline.
Cllr Adilypour assured the committee that the council would continue to uphold the top priority of its Asset Management Framework (AMF)— investing in housing stock so it meets regulatory standards and residents’ expectations. He added:
“We will continue to prioritise safe and healthy homes for residents. Our Asset Management Framework (AMF) has been informed by detailed stock condition surveys and this data-driven approach allows us to prioritise our limited resources.”
Lambeth’s AMF identified that over £3.4 billion of investment would be required over the next 30 years to make all homes modern, warm and closer to Lambeth’s net zero ambitions.
The document also set out the key measures that will be monitored to meet Awaab’s Law deadlines, along with an early snapshot of performance three weeks after the law came into force.
Cllr Adilypour said:
“We’ll need to wait for a year to see the real level of demand and know how much time and resource will be required. “
The committee also reviewed the annual report on housing services complaints which showed that there had been a reduction in overall housing complaints over the past year, with around 700 fewer cases received.
Cllr Adilypour acknowledged that repairs are the main driver of complaints and said a forthcoming SMS initiative will give residents greater control over their repairs, allowing them to share feedback and raise concerns in real time.
The Committee Chair welcomed the reduction in complaints but noted that further improvements are still needed — a point the council acknowledged as part of its ongoing journey to improve housing services for residents.
