Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Housing presented the regular report which gave the status of the compliance figures in relation to the Council’s landlord function.  Legionella, Asbestos, Fire Risk Assessments and Lift Inspections were all 100% compliant.  Electricity inspections were at 92.41% with numbers remaining consistent.  Gas inspections were at 99.14% compliant, after a dip in July due to a number of rescheduled inspection dates by tenants.  The ability to cap properties who failed to allow access had played a significant part in the figures before the Committee.  The new contractor Aaron Services had worked hard to reduce the back log created by tenants and the outgoing contractor. 

Of the 40 households reported as non-compliant this had reduced as five tenants were in hospital and 20 had been added to the Court warrant for external capping for September 2024.   It was stressed that capping was only used as a final resort to enable access to properties to ensure they are safety compliant.

The format for reporting damp and mould had been amended to provide greater details for reporting damp and mould works.  Information had been previously held in different formats but everything had been amalgamated to one spreadsheet to allow for greater scrutiny.  Currently there were 758 properties in total, of these, 410 had been completed, 348 had outstanding works within the programme, 564 had works outstanding, 371  are with the contractors and 193 were with the Council’s own damp and mould team which had been set up to be dedicated to damp and mould cases.  It was noted that some properties may have more than one outstanding task.

Questions were asked about the capping of properties and it was stated that three attempts to contact the tenant were made either by letter, phone, email or in person before capping was considered with each case being looked at individually to ensure no vulnerable person was put at risk.    The Compliance Officer asked for the Committees support to continue to pursue the external capping of gas appliances at the point of expiration of the safety certificate.

Members discussed the figures with comments being made in respect of:

·       the checking of smoke and Carbon monoxide detectors, when access was granted to a property these were checked at the same time as other checks that were made.

·       The progress made in respect of work in relation to damp and mould in properties.

·       Clarity in respect of visits to properties it was stressed that tenants did have the opportunity to state a time and date for a visit.

The Cabinet Member for Housing asked the Committee for their view in respect of withholding non urgent repairs to a property which had an outstanding request for access to the property to carryout safety checks, this was not in respect of any urgent repairs such as a burst water main but just non urgent repairs.  Those Members present were minded to support the suggestion put forwarded.

Further discussion followed and it was noted that the capping of properties only took place Monday – Thursday. It was proposed, seconded and AGREED that the Committee supported the continued capping of external gas meters at the point of expiration of the safety certificate.

Recommendation

That the Committee supported the continued capping of external Gas meters at the point of expiration of the safety certificate.

The Committee also noted the latest compliance position for August 2024, the revised way of reporting damp and mould and to receive further updates at its next scheduled meeting.