Regulator tells Home Group to sort damp, mould and late repairs Housing regulator says Home Group must improve on damp, mould and overdue repairs
Marra Mode is how your mate would tell you down the pub over a pint. Switch it off for the straight version.
If you rent from Home Group, the regulator's had a look and says damp, mould and late repairs need sorting. It's been given a C2 and its governance grade knocked down to G2.
This one's for anybody renting from Home Group in West Cumbria, Whitehaven included, who wants to know what the housing regulator made of them.
The Regulator of Social Housing put its verdict out on Wednesday 28 October after inspecting them this year. Home Group got a C2 for how it treats tenants, which means "there are some weaknesses" and it needs to do better. Its governance grade got knocked down from G1 to G2. Money-wise it stayed at V2.
On damp and mould, the regulator said: "We also identified weaknesses in its management of damp, mould and condensation cases, including high case volumes and evidence that reports are not always responded to within appropriate timescales."
It said repairs are getting done quicker but "improvements are required to ensure the level of overdue repairs is reduced further". Most homes have had a survey lately, but "some homes either lack survey information or rely on surveys that are more than 10 years old."
It also said reports to the board "did not always make the scale, age and risk of outstanding issues clear".
To be fair to them, the regulator said Home Group meets the law on tenants' health and safety and handles complaints "fairly, effectively and in a timely manner". It now has to prove the improvements stick.
Home Group has about 52,811 social homes, mostly across the north and south east, and opened new bungalows and houses at Woodhouse in Whitehaven last year.
If you've got damp, mould or a repair that's been left, report it to Home Group and keep a note of when. If the complaint gets nowhere, the Housing Ombudsman can step in. The full report's on GOV.UK.
The Regulator of Social Housing has given Home Group, which has homes across Cumbria including in Whitehaven, a C2 consumer grade and cut its governance grade from G1 to G2 after an inspection.
This is for Home Group tenants in West Cumbria, including on its estates in Whitehaven, who want to know what the housing regulator found.
The Regulator of Social Housing published its judgement on Home Group on Wednesday 28 October after an inspection this year. It gave the landlord a C2 consumer grade, meaning "there are some weaknesses" and improvement is needed. It is the first time Home Group has had a consumer grade. Its governance grade was cut from G1 to G2, and its financial viability grade stayed at V2.
The regulator said: "We also identified weaknesses in its management of damp, mould and condensation cases, including high case volumes and evidence that reports are not always responded to within appropriate timescales."
It said repairs had become quicker but "improvements are required to ensure the level of overdue repairs is reduced further". Most homes have had a recent condition survey, but "some homes either lack survey information or rely on surveys that are more than 10 years old."
On the board, it said reports "did not always make the scale, age and risk of outstanding issues clear".
The regulator also found that Home Group meets legal requirements on tenants' health and safety and handles complaints "fairly, effectively and in a timely manner". It said Home Group must show its improvements will last.
Home Group owns around 52,811 social homes, mostly in the north and south east of England. Last year it opened new bungalows and homes at Woodhouse in Whitehaven.
What you can do: if you have damp, mould or a repair that has not been dealt with, report it to Home Group and keep a record. If its complaints process does not sort it, you can go to the Housing Ombudsman. The full judgement is on GOV.UK.