The Housing Ombudsman has disclosed that numerous local authorities which swiftly impose fines on landlords and agents for issues like damp and mould, are themselves guilty of similar poor practices.

A report from the Housing Ombudsman Service has uncovered alarming instances of neglect and incompetence among major landlords, including various local authorities and housing associations in addressing damp and mould problems.

With Awaab’s Law set to take effect in October, the spotlight has turned to the issue and its detrimental impact on tenants' health. The Ombudsman’s report, ‘Learning from: Severe Maladministration,’ highlights the significant work required to address these concerns before the law's implementation.

The report from the Ombudsman highlights some of the most egregious cases, including one involving Greenwich Council, which neglected to inspect a property for an entire year, despite the poor state of  the children's bedrooms. It took the council two years before remedial work was carried out even though there were areas of the home that were uninhabitable.

The housing association A2Dominion Group was highlighted for failing to carry out a survey for three and a half years, opting instead for temporary mould washes. No justification was given for the prolonged delay, even though it was noted that one resident's daughter had to increase her asthma medication as a result.

The Ombudsman also had to issue a verdict of ‘severe maladministration’ to prompt Lambeth Council to address a damp and mould complaint.

It was also found that Cornwall Council had taken no action at all, even after an inspection revealed widespread damp and mould in a pregnant woman's home.

In one of the worst cases, delays by the housing association Together Housing Group in addressing damp and mould issues resulted in children having to sleep on the home’s floor for two and a half years. The home was plagued by extensive black mould on the walls, skirting boards, and furniture, including the bed frame and mattress of a child with asthma.