The rise in instances of renters’ health and wellness being compromised by mould or damp is deeply worrying. We believe that everyone deserves a safe and comfortable home in which to live a fulfilled life, and the thought of a property causing ill-health is one that we cannot countenance.
We, therefore, take the issues of mould and damp seriously. We employ a robust set of strategies to ensure that all of the buildings under our management are safe to inhabit, and that no harm comes to our guardians.
As we are regularly charged with the management of buildings that are old or nearing the end of their existence, we are mindful of the increased risk of leaks. Our approach to maximising the potential of these buildings as good homes, whilst ensuring their safety, is three-pronged:
- Firstly, we inspect all buildings to identify any potential damp or mould, and reinspect each property on a monthly basis in case of a new issue becoming apparent. We also hold a particularly rigorous and thorough inspection once a year in order to fully understand the state of the building, and uncover any issues that may create risk of damp or mould in the future. Any damp or mould detected is robustly dealt with, cleaned up and the affected areas repaired before any guardians move in, or immediately if guardians are already present.
- Secondly, we equip all our guardians with the wherewithal to spot signs of damp or mould in the very early stages. They can therefore proactively report any concerns as they arise, and the chances of damp or mould going unnoticed is greatly reduced. Even if no signs of damp or mould are reported, we reach out to all our guardians at the start of every autumn, when these issues are more likely to occur, to ensure that the property is clear and safe.
- Thirdly, we take care not to over-occupy our properties as this can lead to greater risk of damp and mould due to the condensation created by each person’s cooking, washing and laundry. The chances of damp or mould appearing are therefore significantly reduced.
Our in-depth understanding of and rigorous approach to damp and mould issues means that you can enjoy all the security and social benefits of housing property guardians in your empty buildings, without any concern for their safety or wellness.
A brief case study:
Shepherds Bush Housing Group has a portfolio of buildings, and Dot Dot Dot were commissioned to provide property guardians for a number of them.
Weir House was particularly vulnerable to damp and mould due to its design and its location near a canal. During inspection, pre-existing mould problems were identified, which needed to be remedied before any guardians could move in. We worked with a specialist contractor to ensure that all mould was removed and painted with protective paints, and guardians were supplied with dehumidifiers on arrival. Our high standards for health and safety, when coupled with our insight that Weir House was particularly vulnerable to damp and mould, meant that no issue was left unresolved.
To ensure the ongoing safety and wellness of our guardians, we gave in depth advice specific to Weir House, so that any issues could be raised and dealt with in a timely manner. As a fail safe, we also made extra efforts to identify mould issues during inspections due to its heightened vulnerability to the issue.
Dot Dot Dot’s service coordinator for Weir House, Mark, says: “When we first took on Weir House we hired specialists to ensure comprehensive damp treatments were completed. After this, guardians were told to report any instances of mould or damp to us, and through this – plus our schedule of monthly inspections – we continued to monitor any new issues, where necessary providing dehumidifiers and again hiring specialists in order to resolve any recurrences.”
In essence, our mission to get people housed means for a positive and proactive approach to tackling damp, mould, or any other issue for that matter. As we prioritise the safety of our guardians, you can enjoy the benefits of a safely occupied building.
