Mark H Durkan, SDLP MLA for Foyle, has criticised the Department for Communities for failing to advance protections against damp and mould in homes. He advocates replicating measures from Awaab’s Law, which requires social landlords in England and Wales to fix such hazards within set timeframes. Northern Ireland tenants lack equivalent safeguards.

The Housing Executive received almost 14,500 damp and mould reports over the past 12 months, excluding housing associations and private rentals. Durkan highlighted issues in temporary accommodation, where properties receive initial checks but no regular inspections. Private providers handle maintenance, with the Housing Executive as intermediary.

Durkan cited a case of severe damp in a property allocated to a mother and newborn, the same unit he had flagged previously without fixes. He noted that faults persist across tenancies due to absent statutory inspection duties.

A Department for Communities spokesperson stated that Minister Gordon Lyons prioritises home quality and safety across tenures. For social housing, guidance exists on damp and mould, with consultation underway on a new Decent Homes Standard incorporating similar protections.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive plans to spend £42.71 million this year and £41.75 million in 2026/27 on energy efficiency works. Lyons seeks expanded borrowing powers for the Housing Executive from the UK Government. Private rented sector reforms include new minimum standards.

Temporary accommodation providers manage repairs; the Housing Executive stops using non-compliant properties. Its Strategic Action Plan targets a standards framework by March 2027. The recent Warm Healthy Homes Strategy launches a fund for retrofits targeting low-income households, including private rentals.

Current law mandates homes free from health-prejudicial damp, enforced by local council environmental health officers. The strategy aims for enhanced fitness standards across tenures by 2030.