Regulatory judgement improvement plan

Regulatory standard

Area of weakness

Intended outcome(s)

Faster resolution of damp and mould issues.

Reduced frequency of damp and mould across the housing stock.

Lead

Kevin Lowry (Service Director, Repairs and building maintenance) 

Laura Atkinson (Service Manager, Repairs and voids)

Target completion

55 day target for average number of days to fix damp and mould issues.

0.72% target for damp and mould as a % of housing stock  (see revised quartiles following HouseMark Peer Group adjustments.  Target of 8% for 2026/27).

Step targets (where possible)

Short/medium/long term plans

Average number of days to fix damp and mould issues

Short Term

49 days (Lower quartile).

Medium Term

38 days (Median quartile). 

Long Term:

19 days (Upper quartile)

Damp and mould as a percentage of housing stock

Short term:

17% (Lower quartile)

Medium term:

14% (Median quartile)

Long term:

8% (Upper quartile)

(As per HouseMark Peer Group 2024/25 adjusted targets)

Organisational risks

1. Recruitment challenges.
2. Tighter targets when Awaab's Law comes into force on 1 October 2025.

Potential impact on customers if we do not achieve intended outcome

1. Respiratory and other health issues from prolonged exposure.
2. Reduced quality of life and tenant dissatisfaction.

Current position

At the end of Quarter 4, the average time taken to complete remedial works for damp and mould cases was 40 days, which is 15 days better than the year‑end target and 11 days faster than Quarter 3. Based on HouseMark Peer Group 2024/25 benchmarking, this places the Council within the median quartile for completion times.  A target of 38 days has been set for 2026/27.

Completion times ranged from one working day for minor cases to 499 working days for a small number of complex cases requiring extensive investigation and follow‑on works.

The service continues to respond compliantly to all damp, mould and condensation (DMC) cases, with average completion times remaining within Awaab's Law requirements. While end‑to‑end performance has improved, inspection timeliness has been identified as the most sensitive compliance risk and is subject to enhanced monitoring and escalation. Cases continue to be prioritised by risk and severity, supported by targeted management of surveyor and specialist capacity.

Alongside improved completion times, the proportion of stock identified as having damp and mould increased to 8.92%, compared to an original target of 0.72%. This reflects improved identification and unrealistic original target‑setting, rather than a deterioration in performance. Updated HouseMark 2024/25 benchmarking shows reported prevalence of 17% (lower quartile), 14% (median), and 8% (upper quartile), placing the Council broadly in line with the upper quartile position. A revised KPI target of 8% for 2026/27 has therefore been set using the latest HouseMark 2025/26 data.

Since the introduction of proactive damp and mould works in void properties in October 2024, reports from new tenants have reduced significantly, from 181 cases (Oct 2023-Sept 2024) to 61 cases (Oct 2024-Sept 2025), and further to 13 cases (Oct 2025-Feb 2026), demonstrating the positive impact of preventative works.

Work is ongoing to enhance ICT systems for improved case management and statutory monitoring. 25 of 29 Pennington recommendations have been completed.

RAG

Evidence

Reports to Strategic Housing Board, Housing Environment and Healthy Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HEHC OSC), Housing Portfolio and Corporate Management Team.

Pennington Choices Damp and Mould Action Plan