Jayne Bryant, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Ensuring that tenants in Wales have safe, secure, and high-quality homes remains my fundamental priority. I recently consulted on proposed changes to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) to ensure social landlords take prompt action on health hazards in the home.
This follows the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in England, caused by prolonged exposure to damp and mould; a stark reminder of the devastating consequences when housing standards fail. That case underlines the critical importance of listening to tenants, understanding their circumstances, and ensuring every home is safe and healthy to live in.
As a result of this consultation, I will be updating the WHQS to set out clear timescales for investigating and remedying hazards, including those relating to damp and mould. I am grateful for the valuable input from the stakeholder group in shaping these changes to the WHQS. These measures are not optional; they are designed to strengthen accountability and transparency across the sector. Social landlords must now publish response times and report on their performance as part of the WHQS compliance return, ensuring tenants can see how their landlord is meeting obligations.
Recent reports by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales have highlighted unacceptable failures by some social landlords to respond adequately to damp and mould complaints. These findings are deeply concerning and reinforce the urgent need for all landlords to adopt a person-centred approach that prioritises tenants’ individual circumstances when addressing repairs and maintenance.
It is essential that all landlords act without delay when issues of damp and mould, as well as other hazards, are reported. This means having systems in place to respond quickly, keep tenants informed, and treat their concerns with empathy and respect, not just as technical problems. Compliance with statutory requirements is the baseline, but my expectations go further. Landlords should demonstrate a proactive, person-centred approach: identifying risks before they escalate, engaging with tenants to understand their needs, and prioritising well-being. Improvements in how damp and mould issues are managed are a key expectation, and robust processes are vital to deliver safe, healthy homes for all.
The Welsh Government is determined to improve accountability and transparency for tenants, and the new WHQS rule, which will come into force on 1 April 2026, is a direct response to these concerns. Landlords should view this as an opportunity to rebuild trust and continue to show their commitment to tenant safety. While these provisions focus on the social housing sector, it is equally important to consider how we can protect tenants and occupiers in the private sector from undue risk posed by hazards.
All landlords are reminded of their legal duty under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 to ensure homes are fit for human habitation. This includes addressing issues such as damp and mould promptly and effectively. Failure to do so is not only a breach of statutory obligations but a failure of duty to tenants.
The Welsh Government will continue to monitor compliance closely and expects to see tangible improvements in how these issues are addressed across the sector. Our message is clear; tenants deserve homes that are safe, healthy, and free from hazards and landlords must put people first in making that a reality.