Four ways to use data to tackle damp and mould

As we enter the Autumn months, UK landlords will be turning their minds to damp and mould again.

In the social housing sector, the Housing Ombudsman is very clear. Landlords must take ‘a data driven, risk-based approach with respect to damp and mould. This will reduce over-reliance on residents to report issues, help identify hidden issues, anticipate and prioritise interventions.’

Awaab’s law

The tragic death of two year old Awaab Ishak following exposure to damp and mould in December 2020 forced landlords to re-assess their processes. Awaab’s Law came into effect on 20 July 2023, embedding rules within tenancy contracts that empower tenants to legally demand decent living conditions.

Under the law, landlords are obligated to investigate and rectify damp and mould concerns promptly. The law also enhances the authority of the Housing Ombudsman, enabling them to more effectively oversee landlord’s compliance.

Implementing robust processes

When it comes to compliance, the best approach is to implement a process that mitigates the risk of human error and allows organisations to carefully track their own performance, course-correcting in real time as required.

As directed by the Housing Ombudsman, data is key to this process, and software solutions that can help monitor, track and report on the risk of damp and mould can ensure housing providers are protecting those most-at-risk.

Internet of Things (IoT) for continuous monitoring

The most effective way to tackle damp and mould is to anticipate the risk before it becomes a problem. With the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), this is now much easier for social housing providers.

IoT describes a network of physical objects (things) embedded with sensors, which capture data and send this information to other devices or systems over the internet.

In the case of damp and mould, this looks like environmental sensors that are placed throughout residential properties. These sensors are continuously monitoring the indoor environment for risk factors such as heat and humidity.

In the case of the MRI Agora IoT Hub, this data is then sent to the hub with a risk factor attached for each property. In the case of a higher risk, integrations with MRI Asset Management and MRI Repairs means your teams are alerted immediately. Risk information is automatically shared with your systems for a clear record against each property, and repairs tasks can even be automatically created to ensure your team respond in a timely manner.

This continuous monitoring helps to uncover hidden issues, and automation removes the reliance on manual processes, giving both your team and your residents peace of mind and faith in your processes.

On-site surveys backed by photographic evidence

A repairs management solution that’s designed specifically for the social housing sector can help you to effectively record the results of damp and mould surveys in your properties.

Some solutions will offer pre-defined surveys, and allow you to customise these to your own needs. This ensures every survey is being completed in a thorough and consistent manner. MRI Repairs also supports image capabilities, allowing operatives to provide photographic evidence about the size and scope of the issue.

If a risk is discovered by an operative, automation can flag this in your housing management system, helping your team to prioritise the tasks that are most important.

On-site data capture that triggers workflows

Asset Management solutions can help you proactively tackle damp and mould by allowing for the capture of data on-site, and subsequent risk assessment and recommended actions.

MRI Asset Management improves the workflow for your surveyors, allowing them to save time and accurately record data for full auditing capabilities.

Bespoke survey design and custom reporting mean your organisation’s needs are catered for, and all the essential data you need is captured every time, for consistent reporting and compliance.

Powerful reporting

By implementing software such as those described above, you’ll be able to prioritise your repair work based on the data, so you can be confident in your process. Capturing all this data makes it much easier for you to report as well, with each system offering its own powerful reporting capabilities.

Keen to hear more?

Book a discovery call today and speak to a member of our team about how MRI can improve your data-driven approach to damp and mould.

To learn more about how you could take a proactive approach to tackling damp & mould, download the E-book here