After narrowly missing out on the top spot in the Team of the Year category, the judges awarded Liberty’s Damp and Disrepair Team ‘Highly Commended’ in recognition of how close the judging was.
Read on to learn more about how the team go above an beyond to deliver excellence for their clients.
Launched in 2021, the 32-strong Damp & Disrepair team is part of Liberty’s Repairs and Maintenance division based on Salford. Each month the team averages 290 surveys and 109 repairs.
Their works include:
- Intrusive damp repairs, injected damp proof course, plaster removal and renewal,
- Ventilation improvements,
- Installation of thin internal wall insulation (TIWI).
The team’s expertise enables them to offer high-quality assurance and compliance and accurately identify homes where work isn’t needed, reducing unnecessary spending.
The team has a 93% success rate across all repairs with success defined as “no reoccurrence of damp and mould after a repair”.
Effective teamwork
Monitoring shows 50% of damp/mould cases are caused by condensation/ventilation. As a result, the team developed practical guidance for residents to reduce the risk of damp and mould.
Lee Ferendenus, Head of Maintenance at ForHousing said:
“Liberty’s service is of high quality and works are delivered in a timely manner, agreed schedules are adhered to and customer satisfaction is high.
“Close partnership working ensures the contract is run effectively making efficiencies year on year without impacting on the quality of service we or our tenants receive.”
Positively impacting lives
Example: A tenant in Worsley had made multiple complaints about damp/mould before the team launched. On inspection, complex problems were found that had been misdiagnosed previously.
The survey revealed the underlying cause was elevated ground levels outside the property, alongside excess condensation from the magnesite floor slab.
A customised damp-proofing plan was developed:
- The floor slab was coated in a bitumen-based damp-proof membrane.
- A damp-proof membrane was applied to walls, creating a condensation barrier.
- Plaster was removed to 1.5m from ground level.
- A 3mm membrane was installed and a damp proof course injected into the mortar bed of the property’s brickwork, followed by re-plastering.
The work took four months, and there has been no reoccurrence of dampness.
The customer said: “I can’t thank the team enough for the work that was carried out. After many years of trying to find a solution to the damp problems, we have finally got there!”
Tenant engagement
Example: A tenant in Salford had heavy mould growth from a cold bridge.
The tenant was concerned about the disruption standard approaches to resolve the issue would bring. So the team innovated to minimise the impact.
They suggested TIWI which is effective at insulating and reducing condensation. It also acts as a vapour barrier and damp-proof membrane, preventing penetrating damp.
The resident agreed to be a pilot for this product, and it was a success.
They said; “Works were explained to me and carried out within four weeks. The change has been amazing. I don’t need to have my radiator on for as long and the mould hasn’t come back.”
Proudest achievement
The team’s proudest achievement is their work to rid 1,636 households in Greater Manchester of damp and mould.