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EXPERTS HAVE SAID social housing tenants should not be blamed for damp, mould and condensation problems in local authority housing, after an assessment of a flat complex in Dublin.
Architects commissioned by the Community Action Network (CAN), examined conditions at Tyrone Place in Inchicore and found the buildings were unable to provide adequate ventilation and had poor thermal performance making them hard to heat.
“The result is excessive heat loss, the strong likelihood of extensive condensation and mould conditions and the real risk of adverse effects on health of residents. The problem is extensive and very serious. A significant response is needed,” architect William Scott said in his report.
‘Breaking through freshly painted surfaces’
In an assessment of one flat, occupied by a couple and their two children, Scott found there appeared to be no insulation on the walls. He also found inadequate ventilation in every room in the two-bedroom flat, with no extract ventilation in either the kitchen or the bathroom.
There was also evidence of mould in each room.
The couple, who moved into the flat in August 2014, found it to be in good order at the time and had been freshly painted. Just three months later they noticed mould developing, particularly in the bathroom.
In his report, Scott noted “very bad mould” around the gas meter cabinet:
It looks to be of considerable age and as if it was not cleaned off during preparation or mould treatment prior to the new tenancy. There is also the suggestion that the mould is actually breaking though freshly painted surfaces from beneath. The presence of the mould suggests inadequate cleaning and or sterilisation of mould took place.
He said the tenants had used mould cleaner to remove much of it from surfaces, though this did “a lot of damage to the decoration of the walls”.
In correspondence with the couple about the problem, Dublin City Council stated that condensation repairs are the tenant’s responsibility, though it did acknowledge there was a pre-existing mould problem in the flat. The council said this had been “removed and the area replastered”.
However, this is not in keeping with Scott’s findings. He said it was much more likely that the mould had reappeared in such a short space of time due to inadequacies of the building fabric, ventilation or inadequate treatment of the previous outbreaks, rather than as a result of unreasonable action by tenants.
He said this incidence of mould was “entirely consistent” with others reported in the complex.
Health problems
As part of the assessment, tenants at Tyrone Place were also surveyed, with 64% reporting difficulties keeping rooms warm. Similarly, 62% had an issue with damp or condensation and 51% said they had mould in their flats.
Over 90% of those who responded to a survey said that they have problems with damp and 75% of those people said that they have continuous health problems including colds, chest infections and asthma.
Commenting on the findings, Averil Power, Chief Executive of the Asthma Society of Ireland said “poor housing, and associated mould, spores and mildew has long been recognised as a causative and an exacerbating factor in many common respiratory conditions”.
“The Asthma Society of Ireland has great concerns for anybody living in the conditions described in these expert reports and in previous reports”.
Between 2014 and 2015, Dublin City Council received almost 1,500 complaints of damp and mould by tenants. It claimed that the overwhelming majority of the complaints were due to tenant activity.
“The evidence that building defects are causing dangerous damp, mould and condensation shows that the real source of a problem that has been blamed for years on tenant activity actually lies within the walls of the sick buildings that people are paying rent for,” said Cecilia Forrestal of CAN.
“Local authorities consistently state in tenant communication and agreements that condensation, mould and damp are issues related to tenant activity such as drying clothes,” she continued.
She said these reports show this is not the case and she urged local authorities to address the structural issues at the heart of the problem.
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It’s amazing the number of cafes, restaurants and pubs that still want people to wear masks when they arrive, leave and walk around. It’s time to get rid of all masks, everywhere, and stop worrying people unnecessarily. Covid is not a problem anymore. Irrational anxiety is.
@Neil Neart: It is amazing to me that you care if others wear a mask or not.
@Neil Neart: The fixation with those wearing masks is what I find irrational. It’s a complete non-issue to the vast majority of people yet there are some who seem upset and even offended if they see other people wearing them.
@Neil Neart: It is still a problem for many. There are still vulnerable people Covid poses a higher risk to. Some of these people may be able to avoid high risk places but not all can. They also have family members who work with the public and who are doing their best to try and avoid infecting them. Wearing masks in public places like shops and on transport is a minor inconvenience for people who are lucky enough to not have this worry and who can go anywhere and do anything with minor risk. It’s a small thing we can all do to try and help people who don’t have that luxury but who still need to use transport or shop. I think it’s pretty sad how selfish some people are when it comes to looking out for other people.
@Sarah Lou: if you read the sentence again, and take your time to read the HSE web site regarding masks, you’ll see that the amazement expressed is at that many hospitality locations require customers to wear masks when there is no obligation in law or in the guidelines to do so. In fact, every time I enter a hospitality premises I ask the staff if they want me to wear a mask and happily do so to keep them feeling safe even though there is no requirement to do so. But seriously, are we going to be a nation of nervous ninnies for ever?
@Neil Neart: Find a bin and get in.
Random comment alert. But is there anyone else feeling completely disillusioned with the whole things at the minute. Working 6 days a week just to get by, while others scam the welfare system. Costs of everything skyrocketing in every area. Irish people finding it next to impossible to buy a house or even afford rent at the minute. Cuckoo funds buying out entire estates to keep them out of reach. A health system that isn’t improving no matter how many billion they throw at it. Crime rates increasing, a courts system that is letting down victims every day with offenders with hundreds of convictions released on bail to offend again. Global warming, A global pandemic, the scourge of social media and trying to keep up with every woke movement that comes along on a weekly basis. Rant over.
@Dave Johnston: This might help. Hang in there. “Talk to Joe” by emailing us at any time joe@rte.ie. Call 0818 715 815 (lines open between 12.30pm – 3.15pm Monday to Friday). Alternatively you can ring us on 01 208 3263 or write to us at the following address: Liveline with Joe Duffy, RTE Radio Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
@Dave Johnston: I think you need a holiday, you forget anything, how about the man who took your lollipop off you when you were 3?
@Happy: I do need a holiday. Just can’t afford one at the minute. Instead of silly comments about lollipops. How about a constructive debate about the state of affairs.
@Dave Johnston: don’t debate, master bate
@Dave Johnston: we’re y being done out of it a lot more by white collar criminals and life long politicians than by people ‘ scaming the welfare’ ,,, cronyism is rife in this country
@Dave Johnston: that’s called life, and life ain’t fair mate. I agree with what your sating and I’m trying to be empathetic but at the same time it’s life.
Unfortunately!
You’d suspect most folk would continue wearing them anyway in public settings with a lot of mixing.
@Eoin Roche: Why? Because they’re scared of something that’s not a problem anymore for the vast majority of people. It’s time to let everyone get this milder version and benefit from the immune system boost, on top of vaccines. The irrational anxiety has to stop sometime.
@Neil Neart: ah the old ‘let her rip’. Always been great public successful health policy around the World! But no, I was actually thinking more of how used to them people have become and that we’ll probably see a fair sprinkling of them on the likes of public transport and in busy shops in Winter for years to come. If we get back to fully normal this year, and hopefully we shall, it will mean flu and Norovirus and whatever is left of Covid will start circulating as they always did. If I’m on a stuffy sweaty 46A bus with 91 other people, I’ll be happy to use a mask if I have one, just like I’ve seen in Asian cities for decades.
@Eoin Roche: we need some bugs Eoin to give us immunity to help protect us from other bugs. The “Let ‘er rip” strategy with omicron is not the same as it would have been with delta or the others. This nation wide fear mongering has gone beyond its useful life and has to stop or we will have a lot of people ignoring public health advice next time out.
@Eoin Roche: Totally agree.
@Neil Neart: ah Neil evolution you just f… off.
They cannot continue with emergency measures after the emergency has passed. This will give ample fodder to conspiracy theorists and make rational people question the government motives if similar options are needed in the future. It has to move from a mandated rule to an advisory one outside of healthcare settings.
Its pointless having the antigens only for certain cohorts. People are booking PCR tests anyway regardless because they want to get the covid recovery certs for travel etc. You don’t get one if you report an antigen, its all a shambles.
@Carùl O’Hickey: I thought the HSE PCR Test couldn’t be used for travel (have to book a private one) or has that changed?
@John Rowan: You’re right John, they can’t.
@John Rowan:
You still get the QR code if you’ve tested positive
@John Rowan: Sorry I meant people are booking the PCR’s anyway so they can get recovery certs.
Interesting article about masks. Not being an expert I’ve no idea how valid the points raised are. I’m sure many might disagree with the analysis but it’s an interesting read nonetheless and it’s always good to hear different points of view – https://unherd.com/2022/02/were-masks-a-waste-of-time/
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