A new guide to help tackle damp in mould in homes has been launched at an event in Parliament Buildings by the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Northern Ireland.
The guide is aimed at housing providers as well as householders, and it gives practical advice on how damp and mould can be prevented and resolved. The guide contains a number of real life case studies and is supported by an information video for residents.
By looking at issues such as age and condition of the property, heating sources, ventilation and issues such as how laundry is dried, the guide provides steps and advice to properly manage moisture in the home to reduce the instances of damp. The key aim is to empower everyone to ensure that their home is kept to the best standard.
The guide was developed with the input of a working group of housing providers and policy makers, as well as the Housing Policy Panel, a consultative group of tenant representatives from the social housing sector, which is supported by Supporting Communities.
Patricia McQuillan, chair of the Housing Policy Panel, explained that the group was pleased to contribute to the development of the project as it provides practical steps to prevent and resolve these issues, ultimately creating a better quality of life for tenants.
The launch of the guide was supported by Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, who spoke about the importance of the guidance as a key part of ensuring that we have high quality housing and that our homes do not negatively impact on our health: “Supporting initiatives that contribute to better quality housing is a priority, we want to ensure that everyone can live in a warm and healthy home.”
Hazel Bell, chair of NIFHA said: “The guide, tenant flyer and video represent a collective commitment to addressing damp and mould effectively. By working together – housing providers, tenants, and other stakeholders can ensure that homes are safe, dry, and healthy places to live.”
Carol McTaggart, chair of CIH Northern Ireland said: “This new guidance provides a clear framework for tackling damp and mould and by adopting the principles outlined in this guide, housing providers can create healthier homes that will enable customers and tenants to live well.”
Other speakers included Ross Reid from Ark Housing and Mia Berry from Aico. Host, Andy Allen MLA, urged all housing providers to engage with the guide and implement its good practice recommendations to improve the health and well-being of tenants and ensure homes are safe.
