Agenda item

The Assistant Director of Housing Management & Enforcement presented the first report of two policies to the Committee.

The Safety and Quality Standard required landlords to provide good quality homes and landlord services to tenants.  The main compliance areas were:

·       Fire safety: Ensuring properties are safe from fire;

·       Gas safety: Ensuring properties are safe from gas;

·       Electrical safety: Ensuring properties are safe from electrical hazards;

·       Lift safety: Ensuring lifts are safe to use;

·       Asbestos management: Ensuring properties are safe from asbestos;

·       Legionella: Ensuring properties are safe from legionella bacteria.

The Council reported on the compliance of all the above areas as part of the annual Tenant Satisfaction Measures.  Quarterly updates were then provided to the Housing Liaison Board and Housing Stock Management Group.

The produced Electrical Safety Policy 2025-2028 (the ‘Policy) was attached at Appendix 1.

The Policy went into detail on how the Council would meet legal obligations (e.g., qualified electricians and contractors would carry out five yearly electrical installation inspections and tests to all Council owned properties).

The Policy also set out how the Council would monitor and report on the performance of the legal requirements, including an escalation process for when there was noncompliance.

To a question on the six main compliance areas and the lack of a policy focussing on damp / mould, the Assistant Director of Housing Management & Enforcement informed such a policy was being drafted – Awaab’s Law would also ensure when instances of damp / mould were reported, all social and private landlords would need to legally respond within a new defined timeframe. 

The draft policy on this matter would be brought to a future meeting.

The Assistant Director of Housing Management & Enforcement reiterated that for the six main compliance areas, Gas and Electrical safety was what tenants were most aware off and so these were the policies currently prioritised.

To a question on the management of asbestos in Council owned properties, the Assistant Director of Housing Management & Enforcement explained legislation was already in place and that for any property which became void (available), a full asbestos survey investigation would take place.

Following the meeting, it was confirmed by the Assistant Director of Housing Management that if asbestos was found, deemed to be in a poor condition and / or was affecting the works required to get the property to a lettable standard, it was removed by the Council’s approved contactor (European Asbestos).  This was then recorded on an Asbestos portal managed by the Health and Safety team.

A brief discussion on the liability of work when it needed to be undertaken was held.  The Assistant Director of Housing Management & Enforcement informed, post meeting, that the Council was responsible for ensuring compliance, but necessary checks would be managed by Dragonfly Management (Bolsover) Ltd. (work could subcontracted by them to trained and competent contractors with the necessary certificates then provided).

Moved by Councillor Phil Smith and seconded by Councillor Vicky Wapplington

RESOVED that Members review the attached Electrical Compliance Policy and provide comments for consideration as part of the development of the Policy in advance of formal Executive approval and implementation.

Approved by Councillor Sandra Peake, Portfolio Holder for Housing