The tragic case of Awaab Ishak from Rochdale in 2020 has been a defining moment for the housing sector, and one which we take extremely seriously.
Dawn Wightman, A2Dominion’s Director of Homes & Communities, said: “Customer safety is our top priority, and we have developed robust plans to ensure we act quickly to diagnose and remedy cases of damp and mould.
“We’re also working towards taking a more proactive approach, delivering a planned programme of work going forward.”
Inspections and repairs
Late last year, we started an accelerated programme of inspections and repairs in our homes.
Our initial focus has been on contacting customers who have previously reported damp and mould to check for any outstanding issues. Where this is the case, we’ve been arranging inspections and undertaking remedial work to resolve it.
We have a dedicated team in place to support this work, and they are actively prioritising people in the most vulnerable situations.
Improving our processes and data
As part of our project, we’re also reviewing the way we deal with reports of damp and mould to understand where we can make improvements. This includes looking at what resources we need to make sure cases can be dealt with as swiftly as possible.
We’ve already made changes to some of our processes, such as getting more information from you the first time you contact us. This allows us to better assess the issue and respond more quickly and effectively with inspections, cleaning and repairs.
Strengthening the data we hold on our homes is another priority to help us better understand cases of damp and mould.
Our response to the regulator
In November 2022, the Regulator of Social Housing wrote to chief executives of larger social housing providers – including A2Dominion’s – to ask for assurance on what we’re doing to address risks relating to damp and mould in our homes. You can read a summary of our response to the Regulator here, which captures our approach to addressing issues, supporting our customers, and improving the way we work.
How to report damp and mould
If you’re a tenant and you’re experiencing damp and mould in your home, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can help. It’s our duty to fully investigate, identify
the cause and treat any cases of damp and mould in the homes we manage and maintain.
Please contact us in one of the following ways:
- Calling our Customer Contact Centre on 0800 432 0077
- Emailing us - dampandmould@a2dominion.co.uk
In some circumstances, shared owners and leaseholders may be responsible for resolving issues with damp and mould in their homes, in line with their terms of their lease. Please speak to us as we’ll be able to confirm where responsibility lies.
We’ve also got useful tips and guidance on our website for preventing condensation, damp and mould in your home.
We’re here to help
We understand the cost-of-living crisis is impacting people’s ability to heat and ventilate their homes. If you’re worried about money, please get in touch with our Tenancy Sustainment Team as there are many ways we can support you.