council housing – Page 2 – The NEN

Foysol Choudhury MSP: “Too many Scots live in dangerous housing”

Speaking after his Members’ Business Debate on Damp Housing in Scotland at the Scottish Parliament last week (20/04/23), Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died after exposure to extensive mould in his home in England, was a stark warning of the dangers that mould can cause when not dealt with properly.

“That’s why it was so important for me to bring this Members’ Business Debate to the Scottish Parliament, to highlight that we must act now to stop preventable deaths like Awaab’s from occurring in Scotland.

“Unfortunately, too many Scottish residents today live in dangerous housing.

“The Scottish Government’s recent House Condition Survey supposedly found that 40,000 homes in our nation fall below tolerable standards, with a third of these being due to rising or penetrating damp.

“Given there are on average two people per household, that’s 80,000 Scottish residents living in homes that their own Government considers to be intolerable, with 27,000 of these due to damp.

“One of my constituents lives with their partner and four children in a council house in Edinburgh.

“Two of the children have asthma, which has gotten worse, and another has developed a constant hacking cough as a result of damp and mould.

“My constituent has told me they fear for their children because of their prolonged exposure to mould and has even had to call an ambulance at one point due to their child having severe chest pains.

“The ambulance report actually cited mould as an environmental factor at their property.

“Another of my constituents has been living in a mould infested house for 16 months with their 21-month-old son, leading to a disastrous effect on their mental health.

“Many constituents are left feeling helpless and like nothing is being done to ensure they have permanent, safe accommodation.

“Negligent behaviour of private landlords must be tackled, especially as almost half of private-sector-rented homes in Scotland supposedly failed the Scottish Housing Quality Standards.

“The experience of my constituents, who have had to move out of their privately rented accommodation because of fears the effects of damp and mould would have on their very young child, speaks for itself.

“Letting agents and private landlords must ensure tenants are aware of the ways in which mould and damp occurs and how to prevent it.

“In addition, landlords should not be renting out houses or flats that need structural repairs to avoid mould forming.

“Ultimately, housing providers should be held responsible for ensuring that the accommodation they provide is clean and safe for every resident or tenant that moves in there.

“The Scottish Government need to do more to help them and hold them accountable when crucial repair work is not being done properly.

“How many trips to the hospital, long-term illnesses, or deaths caused by damp housing is it going to take for the Scottish Government to take this seriously?

“I am asking for the Scottish Government to consider setting up a grant scheme to tackle dampness problems in council, housing association and private sector properties. We need to address both the long and short-term problems with damp housing and consider extra investment for a whole house retrofitting programme, across Scotland.

“Too many of our citizens are living in dangerous accommodation and landlords are getting away with doing nothing about it.

“We, as the Scottish Parliament, have to do more. “

Council ramps up housing investment

Living standards will be improved for thousands of residents in Edinburgh after Councillors agreed a £173 million spending package to upgrade and build new homes.

At a meeting of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee on Thursday (9 March), decisions made during February’s budget meeting were built upon to agree a comprehensive spending programme for the year ahead.

Under the plans for the 2023/24 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme an extra £50m will be invested compared to last year. This will continue the city’s pipeline of new builds and ramp up capital investment into existing homes, including innovative energy efficiency upgrades.

The council is one of the first local authorities in Scotland to pilot a ‘whole house retrofit’ approach and this will be adopted fully in 2023.

This will focus on improvements to the fabric of buildings and energy performance including design and development work for at least four multi-storey blocks.

Retrofitting will not only help with issues like damp but help to lower tenants’ fuel costs and support Edinburgh’s net zero carbon by 2030 commitment, with largescale rewiring, roof replacements, new kitchens, bathrooms, windows, and doors due to be identified.

The spending programme is also set to involve improvements to common areas and stairwells, adapting homes in response to people’s health needs and transforming derelict sites and void properties into much needed new homes for tenants and people experiencing homelessness.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: “More than 3,000 older homes all over the city are set to benefit from improvements – making them greener, safer, and more accessible for generations to come. Our capital housing programme is about spending money where it is most needed so that we can help as many residents as possible live well in safe, warm homes.

“That means making council homes more energy efficient which will help to drive down bills. It means building brand new homes in response to the huge demand we’re seeing, and we need to keep listening to our tenants so that we can invest in those areas which will make the biggest difference to people’s lives.

“Post-pandemic, Brexit and in the face of a cost-of-living crisis and war in Ukraine, it remains a challenging time for residents, for council budgets and for construction at large. Like everyone else we’ve seen our running costs rise, but we must remain committed to tackling Edinburgh’s twin housing and homelessness crises. We also need to improve the standard of the housing we provide.

“I’m proud that, despite many pressures, we’ve had agreement from the Chamber to invest so substantially this year. As we move forward, we’ll need to continue to work with partners and make our case to the Scottish Government to maximise funding opportunities and keep our longer-term plans on track.”

The capital budget is prepared annually, following consultation with tenants and regular review of the council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Strategy. It is shaped by tenants’ and elected member priorities, the most pressing maintenance and improvements needed to keep homes modern and safe, statutory requirements and the commitments outlined in the council’s Business Plan.

Council to build homes for social rent

More than 200 affordable homes have been given the green light this week, allowing the Council to create more much-needed affordable housing.

At least 130 of these new homes will be for social rent at key sites in Greendykes, Wester Hailes and Dreghorn.

It follows decisions by the Development Management Sub Committee on Wednesday (25 January) to grant permission for newbuild sites and agreement by the Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday (26 January) for the Council to purchase empty homes from the Ministry of Defence.

Of the 140 new homes agreed for Greendykes, 74 will be Council homes.

They form the final phase of the Council’s 15-year Greendykes masterplan, which is delivering 2,200 new homes in total alongside four new schools, a new public park, a brand new town centre and 300,000 sq ft of retail space.

The project is also the second pilot for the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme, meaning innovative construction methods will be used to build these homes offsite before delivering them to Greendykes where they will offer residents’ net zero carbon homes. This is a significant milestone for the EHD programme and the Greendykes area as we look to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing that is aligned with the current Net Zero Carbon approach of the Council.

Of the 73 new homes granted for Wester Hailes, 41 will be Council homes.

They will be built at a derelict site in Murrayburn Gate where the Wester Hailes Health Centre once stood. The site is next to the Westside Plaza shopping centre and close to rail links, with the community to also benefit from a new public footway to the nearby Canal View Primary School.

All 23 empty homes agreed to be bought in Dreghorn are currently owned by the Ministry of Defence and are based along Dreghorn Place and Dreghorn Drive. The homes will be made available for social rent from the Council.

Councillor Jane Meagher, the Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Never has our need for affordable housing been greater as we face a cost-of-living crisis and a climate emergency. The decisions made this week demonstrate our Council’s commitment to urgently creating the homes Edinburgh needs.

“I’m particularly pleased that we’ll be able to deliver so many homes for social rent. We want to provide everybody with a safe and warm place to live but we’re facing growing homelessness in Edinburgh. This remains a challenge, but these new properties that we’re buying and building are going to help many people in desperate housing need.

“And, as we build these new homes, we’ll create well designed places. Innovative offsite manufacturing of net zero homes such as those planned for Greendykes will help tenants and residents to keep their fuel bills down. This work will be taken forward alongside retrofitting many of our existing homes, so that older Council properties are also brought up to a better standard.”

Solving the housing crisis: council looks to private sector for ideas

The City of Edinburgh Council has this month invited the private sector to bring forward proposals to deliver affordable housing on sites not owned by the Council.

As agreed at the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee in November, through a Prior Information Notice (PIN), published on the Public Contracts Scotland website, the Council is looking to encourage the private sector, particularly investors, landowners and developers, to consider what ways they could work with the Council to accelerate the ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.

The PIN focusses on three key areas: purchase of development sites, purchase of completed homes and an opportunity to propose innovative solutions such as leasehold proposals and partnerships.

The PIN also sets out a range of outcomes that the market must consider when putting forward proposals and overall gives the market an opportunity to tell the Council what they can do.

It will also help to inform the next steps, including whether there needs to be a procurement exercise and what that should look like. Establishing a structured approach to market engagement will allow the transparency and assessment of best value that the public sector needs but there is also a desire to make the process as accessible as possible and allow the Council to react to opportunities over the coming years.

Released through Public Contracts Scotland it is open for everyone to take a look, consider the options and register interest in this engagement process. The PIN will close on 31 January 2022.

Housing Convener, Councillor Kate Campbell, said: “Edinburgh needs more affordable homes. We’re doing everything we can through the Council’s own housebuilding programme, and working with housing associations, to provide social and mid-market homes. But we need to look at every possible way to create additional affordable housing – so I am really keen to see what ideas come from the private sector.

“I hope this process will create new and innovative ways to provide even more affordable homes that are so needed in our city.

“By going out to the market we’re asking the question of housing developers or landowners about what they could deliver now. But we’re also inviting them to start thinking about what might be possible, and how they can contribute to helping us deal with one of the biggest challenges facing our city.”

Vice Housing Convener, Councillor Mandy Watt, said: “We are looking forward to seeing what comes back in through this process. It’s an opportunity for the private sector to consider what they might be able to contribute to Edinburgh in terms of affordable housing.

“We expect any proposals submitted to fit with our strategy of providing affordable, good quality, sustainable homes that deliver value for money. We are open to both traditional and innovative ideas which achieve the outcomes that our citizens need.

“Some landowners or developers maybe interested in this but are unfamiliar with this process, so we’d encourage them to come forward and speak to our procurement team to find out more.”

If you have any queries on the PIN or accessing Public Contracts Scotland please contact Kelly Faulds Kelly.faulds@edinburgh.gov.uk

Better late than never? Council announces plans to deal with the scandal of damp housing

The City of Edinburgh Council has set out its improved process to deal with issues some tenants face due to excessive dampness, mould and condensation.

The enhanced processes, that puts our tenants health and wellbeing at the forefront, are being rolled out now (from June 2021) to deliver a robust, streamlined, start-to-finish approach that will quickly address immediate moisture-related issues within Council homes, while also looking at the conditions and internal fabric to prevent problems arising in the longer term.

By laying out a revised step-by-step guide on how tenants will be fully supported in a report presented to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee yesterday (3 June), the Council is ‘demonstrating our commitment to addressing issues of damp, mould or condensation for our tenants’.

The report makes clear that the first step will be to remove and reinstate any walls or surfaces affected, alongside work to identify the causes and address them. It’s been designed to ensure that tenants are kept up to date through more frequent updates from locality officers and ongoing liaison so they know what to expect at every step of the process.

Significant capital investment will be at the heart of the programme to remedy the root causes of these issues. Work is already under way to proactively engage with our tenants to ensure that any homes affected are identified and appropriate remedial action taken.

In the short term, following the successful pilot dehumidifier programme, devices will now be made available as standard, with help to fund the running costs for the duration they are required. In conjunction, other immediate action will be taken to investigate if there are any underlying issues such as poor external fabric, poorly performing heating systems, issues with windows or doors, or ineffective extractor fans.

This will be complemented by the ongoing support of the Council’s dedicated Energy Advice Service, set up in 2018. It provides advice and support for tenants on energy efficiency and heating their homes and has supported nearly 3,000 households, with financial savings for tenants totalling over £590,000 and carbon savings of 1,485 tonnes.

The Convener and Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee, Councillor Kate Campbell and Councillor Mandy Watt, have looked to tackle this challenge for the Council repairs service head on, listening to tenants’ concerns and taking more responsibility to make sure Council tenants live in homes that are clean, safe and warm.

Convener, Councillor Kate Campbell, said: “I’ve heard the concerns raised by our tenants and recognise that there were issues with the process. Previously if damp wasn’t identified, but there was mould and condensation, tenants were often given a referral to the energy advice service, but too often work wasn’t undertaken to identify any underlying issues which could be causing mould, and mould was not removed as the first step. This report sets out how that process will change.

“The first step will be to remove any mould or damaged surfaces and reinstate them. We’ll then take a robust look at what the cause could be, whether that’s leaks, issues with doors or windows, insulation, heating systems or extractor fans not working. After we’ve carried out these steps, we’ll bring in energy advice to make sure tenants are heating their homes in a way that works for them and is as energy efficient as possible.

“The new process will be more transparent from start to finish and it will be made clear at the beginning what tenants can expect. The process is designed to make sure we are dealing with these issues in the short, medium and long term, and there are checks along the way as well as six weeks after the work is completed.

“Through this new plan and revised processes we’re taking more ownership, more responsibility and giving more support to our Council tenants to make sure they are living in homes that are safe, clean and warm and ones that they are proud to live in. The health and wellbeing of all Council tenants is paramount which is why we asked for this report. We need to be confident that we are getting it right for all tenants who are experiencing these types of issues with their homes.

“This will be complemented by the current capital investment programme and the work we’re starting to retrofit existing homes to high energy efficient standards. This demonstrates our intention to improve the quality of all of our Council homes and bring them up to modern standard of energy efficiency which in turn will help to keep homes better ventilated, warmer and cheaper to heat.

“Fuel poverty is a critical factor and this report outlines the measures in place to address this worrying situation for families.”

Vice Convener, Councillor Mandy Watt, said: “I’m really pleased to see that we’ll be taking greater responsibility for fixing the problems of condensation, damp and mould that afflict some of the housing we own.

“By authorising our repairs team to tackle these issues head on, we’ve taken huge steps in the right direction. We’ll also be looking to invest in any structural improvements that are needed.

“As things progress, we’ll check with our tenants that what we’re doing works; and we’ll listen to their suggestions about any further measures we could take. The Covid-19 pandemic has created challenges for our repairs service team but we are all committed to getting this right for our tenants.”

Council tenants have suffered from living in damp housing in Edinburgh since long before coronavirus was ever an issue, of course – Ed.:

The Council says it is investing significantly in homes to make them easier and cheaper to heat.

In the last six years, over half of Council homes have benefited from energy efficiency measures including new heating systems, insulation and new windows and front doors.

A Whole House Retrofit (WHR) programme is currently in development and will inform the long-term investment approach for existing homes from 2023 onwards. The WHR approach will prioritise advanced whole house retrofit measures, which will help to design out poor performance and future maintenance risks. Once completed, homes will be better insulated, ventilated and affordable to heat.

The process for dampness, mould and condensation will be continually monitored to pick up any emerging issues, and a detailed review will be undertaken after a three-month period, to allow time for the process to be embedded and an assessment of its effectiveness can then be made.

This will include a review of tenant satisfaction and constructive feedback received, together with further tenant engagement. This will complement an existing in-depth review of a sample of escalated complaints, which includes cases where dampness, mould and condensation issues have been present.

Tenants get keys for new council homes

The first tenants have begun moving into brand new homes for social rent across Edinburgh. The homes are being built by the City of Edinburgh Council as part of a project to provide hundreds of affordable flats and houses on seven small brownfield sites across Edinburgh. Continue reading Tenants get keys for new council homes

£568 million for affordable housing

Increased funding to ensure councils can deliver more homes

More affordable homes will be delivered across Scotland this year following a £35 million increase to council allocations, bringing it to £568 million. The increases will continue over the coming years, rising to £591 million in 2019-20 and £630 million in 2020 -21. Continue reading £568 million for affordable housing