The ASCP launches new damp and mould course

The Association of Safety and Compliance Professionals (ASCP) has launched a new course; the Level 2 VRQ Award in Understanding and Prevention of Damp and Mould in Housing. Designed specifically for those engaged in the provision of social housing; the course seeks to support the sector in light of recent events by raising awareness of damp and mould prevention and control.

Last month, the Regulator of Social Housing published their initial findings on damp and mould in England’s social housing with figures suggesting that up to 264,000 social homes have at best a ‘notable’, if not more serious, problem with damp and mould. The ASCP estimates that this equates to somewhere in the region of 0.5 to 0.75 million people living in dangerous conditions. “We have to come together as a sector to improve this situation,” says Matt Sharp, CEO of the ASCP Group. “As an organisation we are committed to supporting our members and the wider sector in this,” he adds, “we will work with them to raise awareness, improve understanding and drive up standards to help deliver safer homes for all residents”
 

Image © Adobestock

Towards the end of last year, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, wrote to social landlords calling for action on housing conditions and setting out clear expectations that social landlords must take prompt action to ensure that their tenants’ homes are decent, safe and secure. This was followed by a number of proposed legislative changes, with amendments tabled to the Social Housing Regulation Bill to force social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould issues within ‘strict new timeframes’. The Regulator of Social Housing has also stated that damp and mould will be a ‘key focus’ of the sector’s new consumer regulation. This latest addition to the ASCP’s extensive training portfolio of courses and qualifications has been designed to ensure social housing professionals are aware of their legal duties and have the knowledge and understanding needed to fulfil them.

“Where people complain about damp and mould, you must listen; where you find them, you must take prompt action.
To keep tenants safe, you must not hide behind legal process.”
                 
Michael Gove, Secretary of State, DLUHC, Letter to social housing providers, November 2022

“There’s a huge focus on damp and mould right now, and rightly so,” says Ryan Mack, Training Lead at the ASCP. “It is absolutely vital for those working in social housing to have sufficient awareness, understanding and competence to tackle this important issue,” he explains, “and the new course has been developed to address that need.”  The course has been designed to provide staff with suitable and sufficient in-depth information to give them confidence to identify and act upon situations that they may encounter when visiting properties or talking to residents.

The course duration is between 2.5 and 3 hours, depending on the discussions generated, and includes an assessment. Delegates can choose between attending an online course delivered by an expert tutor, or self-directed e-learning at a time that suits them. For further information on this course, or to register your interest, please contact training@theascp.co.uk

Level 2 VRQ Award in Understanding and Prevention of Damp and Mould in Housing.

Topics covered:
 
•       Background
•       Standards & guidance
•       Landlords’ responsibility
•       Different sources of damp
•       Understanding damp
•       What is mould
•       Harm from damp & mould
•       Preventing humidity
•       Dealing with damp
•       Clearing mould
•       Tenant rights
 
Contact training@theascp.co.uk