Hackney Council will be investing millions of pounds into improving council home maintenance and hundreds of thousands into ensuring private landlords tackle damp and mould.
The council has promised £51 million to help maintain council homes, with £400,000 set aside to help hold landlords accountable for damp, mould and repairs. The council calls this “the biggest investment in a generation” into the issue.
The move comes after Hackney Council were taken to court by a tenant who blames his incurable lung disease on the damp and mould in his council flat.
When asked about this case, Councillor Clayeon McKenzie, Cabinet member for Housing Services and Resident Participation, said: “I understand the tenant’s situation and it is one we have been taking very seriously. I have met with him to discuss the situation and we have tried to fix every issue with his home that he has reported to us as quickly as possible.”
One private renter in Hackney, Sela Musa, said: “My housemates are literally scrubbing the walls with bleach and worrying when they go to bed if the fumes will be too strong.”
“We told our landlord and he just sent someone to paint over it,” she said.
Mayor Philip Glanville said: “We’ve announced clear plans to tackle damp and mould in council properties – this additional investment we are making available in this year’s budget will mean we can provide the same support for private renters.”
