Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted
Housing families in properties with damp and mould remains a persistent, unacceptable issue.
Conclusion
It is shocking that, until a policy change in 2022, it was considered acceptable to house families in properties known to have damp and mould. However, issues with damp and mould still exist. (Conclusion, Paragraph 73)
Government Response Summary
The MOD accepts the conclusion, noting that challenges with damp and mould persist despite efforts. It states its DIO policy is not to allocate homes with known issues, and its Damp & Mould Taskforce established in 2023 has already provided works to over 9,000 families, reducing case severity. The MOD plans to replace the worst housing stock through regeneration following the Annington deal as part of a wider housing strategy.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The MOD accepts the conclusion and recommendation at 15 and 16. The MOD acknowledges the serious concerns raised regarding damp and mould in SFA. We recognise that despite efforts to improve conditions, challenges persist, and these challenges will continue to reoccur until the military housing estate is fully regenerated. The DIO policy is that homes should not be allocated where there is a known damp and/or mould issue. This includes homes where a professional survey has recommended works that have not yet been completed, or where the previous family reported damp and mould, but no remedial works have been completed. Since the Damp & Mould Taskforce was established in 2023, over 9,000 families have benefitted from the delivery of damp and mould packages of works. The severity of damp and mould cases being raised is now much reduced from when the taskforce was first established. Cases at severity levels 4 and 5 (5 being the most severe) are now much less common. Detailed statistics will be published as requested by June 2025. Historically there is an 80–85% success rate of the damp and mould packages delivered across the estate completely eradicating damp and mould, leaving a 15–20% chance that damp and mould will re-emerge after it has been treated under a first responder visit. Cases are reopened should damp and mould re-emerge. been under-invested in over many years. Decades of under-investment has resulted in assets not being replaced until the point of failure (including heating systems) Additionally, many properties have poor thermal insulation. It is likely that cases will continue to emerge until the worst housing stock is replaced. However, following the Government’s deal to buy back the military housing estate from Annington Ltd, the MOD now has the opportunity to replace to worst of its housing stock through a regeneration of the estate where thermally inefficient properties will be prioritised for upgrade or replacement. This will form part of the department’s ongoing work to maximise the benefits of the Annington deal, working towards a wider forces housing strategy.