October 25, 2024
The second reading of the Renters’ Rights Bill took place in the House of Commons on 9 October.
This new bill features a raft of measures, including extending Awaab’s Law to privately rented homes, meaning that there will be new requirements set requiring private rented sector landlords to address hazards, such as damp and mould, within a specified time period.
If landlords do not comply, tenants will be able to bring enforcement action against them through the courts.
By applying Awaab’s Law to the sector, we will see clear legal expectations set about the timeframes within which landlords in the private rented sector must take action to make homes safe. Where there are serious hazards, landlords will be required to follow strict timescales to inspect and repair hazards including damp and mould.
The introduction of the new bill comes as the PCA launches its own response to managing damp and mould in homes, with the development of a new system that monitors moisture in properties to help identify root causes and propose solutions.
Provided in the UK via PCA’s specialist company Maple Diagnostics, the pioneering technology identifies the root causes of damp and mould – and could be the key to resolving moisture issues in rented properties.
The sensor system can be used across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors to identify the causes of condensation, damp and mould, and could prove transformational when it comes to mould investigations works.
As a system that is based on data and evidence, it allows surveyors to provide an unbiased, evidence-based report to tenants and landlords.
Having access to such data will identify the root cause of damp and mould issues, we believe, will help resolve disputes and focus on any corrective actions required, saving both time and money.
The system was showcased at PCA’s Property Care Conference held at Telford International Centre in September and is the result of a three-year research project by the PCA with the University College London Institute for Environmental Design & Engineering (UCL IEDE).
It works by placing measurement devices including environmental sensors into different types of dwellings to measure conditions, such as temperature and relative humidity.
Working with bespoke software, results are calculated that show why an individual home’s moisture levels are out of balance. After uploading the data to Maple’s website, a report is generated that prescribes appropriate solutions to address the issue.
To continue reading this article visit https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/building-control-news/transformational-moisture-management-technology-to-tackle-damp-and-mould/144902/
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