We have recently heard the terribly sad news about Awaab Ishak, who was only two years old when he sadly died as a result of living in a social housing property in Rochdale that was blighted with damp, mould and condensation. This tragedy has shocked us all, and our thoughts are with his loved ones.
The coroner determined that Awaab died from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to mould in his home. All homes can suffer from condensation, especially during the winter months, and if left untreated it can cause mould to grow quite quickly.
The most important thing for any housing provider is to offer homes that are safe and healthy for their tenants – homes that are good places to live. It’s the thing we come back to most often as a Board when we’re reviewing new policies and monitoring Wolverhampton Homes’ performance, how the work WH are doing or proposed changes will impact and enhance our customers’ lives.
WH consulted with customers earlier this year to review our repairs and maintenance policy. As customers, you told us that repairs which were linked to damp and mould needed to be investigated and attended more quickly, so our Repairs team have committed to surveying issues within 10 days of them being reported and treating them within another 20 days.
As Board members, myself and my colleagues welcomed this change to speed up the company’s response to these issues. WH has also committed to providing more information to help tenants reduce condensation and prevent mould. As a tenant myself there are several tips that I hadn’t really considered but are very easy to get into the habit of doing so I’ve learnt something too! We do ask customers to report issues with damp, mould and condensation as quickly as possible to enable the right support to be provided.
It’s been another packed year at Wolverhampton Homes and governance has featured heavily at Board meetings as the company prepares for the new regulation from the Regulator of Social Housing. There have also been a number of new strategy documents which detail our objectives for some of the key business priorities.
We welcomed the fresh approach to Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Investment. The strategy focuses on how we will help our communities across the city to thrive, including recruiting more young people and playing our part to reduce youth unemployment. This is alongside the launch of our new community fund which will offer grants for local groups to deliver projects that are important to their community. It will be exciting to see the opportunities that come through as a result of this strategy.
The work WH have done in Heath Town on behalf of the City of Wolverhampton Council is now approaching completion. Homes have been fitted with new energy-saving and noise-reducing double glazing as well as enhanced fire safety measures, including sprinkler systems. There are additional safety features including new CCTV and improved lighting in communal areas, and the cladding has been replaced with a more energy-efficient material which will help to reduce energy usage and keep costs down. We were very pleased when the project was recognised by judges at the National Building and Construction Awards in November, where WH won a silver award.
The Sustainment and Support team have been working towards accreditation with the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) for over a year and I’m pleased to say their hard work has been rewarded. The accreditation demonstrates that the policies, processes and approach of Wolverhampton Homes provide an effective and safe response to domestic abuse. Sadly, cases increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, so it is more important than ever that victims and survivors are well supported, and it is a great achievement to receive this recognition.
I know we are all feeling the financial pinch this winter, although the weather has been unseasonably mild so far which has certainly helped to keep heating bills down. To manage the increasing demand for the Money Smart service, the team have increased the number of staff to support our customers. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience to help, so please do remember they’re available if you need them.
Season’s greetings to you all for a merry and peaceful festive period.
Angela
Angela Davies sadly passed away in December 2022, shortly after she had written this blog. Serving on our Board for eight years and as Chair of the Board since 2019, Angela played an instrumental role in many of the new strategies and initiatives that have been developed as a result of customer feedback, the impact of which can be seen throughout the company.
Dedicated to equality and inclusion, Angela was passionate about delivering positive change – and will be greatly missed both for the support given to Wolverhampton Homes and for the unwavering contribution to our communities.