Damp & Mould IoT (South London Partnership)

Introduction

This use case is from South London Partnership – InnOvaTe “IoT” Project.

Outcome
Kingston Council has successfully utilised IoT technology to support improvements to living conditions by proactively identifying and addressing damp and mould concerns in properties.

Sectors
Local authority, Housing, Temporary Accommodation, Public Sector.

Key Stakeholders
Housing Team, Private Landlords, Residential Services.

Summary

Overview

Kingston Council has used damp monitoring sensors successfully to track issues in temporary accommodation properties. Due to the large number and variety of properties being used by temporary housing services, it is possible that some of the properties are experiencing damp problems. By monitoring (with tenants permission) the accommodation, data can be collected to persuade landlords to improve the condition of their properties, ultimately for the benefit of the occupants. The purpose of the trial was to quantify the scale of the damp problem in properties which helped to identify and/or trigger site visits and surveys to address immediate treatment, but also identify longer term solutions to problems that reoccur. The council team involved has emphasised that sensors merely spotlight issues rather than solve them, but have helped to prioritise and identify issues early on, especially those issues inherent within some properties rather than the action of any particular tenant. Data obtained from the IoT solution (small battery-powered NB-IoT sensor measuring temperature and humidity levels) has been vital to illustrate the evidence needed to justify access for surveys, or even the need for property owners to address changes in behaviours, or even evidence in response to claims e.g. where the Local authority was being taken to court for disrepair, the sensor data was useful for noting that the resident had not being using the heating and therefore contributing to damp and mould in the property. Data obtained from properties near empty properties also supported large scale decanting. Overall, this solution has supported service improvements and efficiencies, good outcomes for occupants, as well as aided to reduce potential claims where landlords were not meeting legislative requirements.

About the Author

The InnOvaTe Programme is an Internet of Things initiative by South London Partnership (SLP) to “pilot and research” IoT across the 5 London boroughs of Croydon, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.  The programme looks at ways to generate economic growth, support local businesses, help people live better, healthier lives and assist with addressing the climate emergency. The project assessed 150 IoT ideas for the councils concerned, implementing 48 of them successfully over 18 months. The programme was formally completed in March 2023.

Case Study Challenge 

Damp and mould concerns in properties have risen significantly with a large number of Londoners faced with unhealthy living conditions on a daily basis. Utilising in-home sensors, Kingston Council set out to proactively identify potential issues, prioritise site visits for immediate treatment and long-term solutions, but also obtain data to be used as the basis for further discussions with tenants and landlords. The IoT sensor collects temperature and humidity data, and using smart algorithms to determine mould risk, the solution issues prompt alerting to council officers to spotlight potential issues. This trial was focused on temporary accommodation which yielded insights enabling preventive measures. Results include identifying residents at risk of fuel poverty, preventing condensation, and understanding heating usage’s impact on damp conditions – all of which could be used during formal discussions with tenants and landlords to bring about permanent improvements to these properties. The sensors proved instrumental in addressing property issues before mould growth, enhancing tenant experience, and supporting service improvements.

The council initiated this project in response to upcoming legislative changes and a commitment to improving residents’ health. The proactive stance on damp and mould issues, exacerbated by recent news stories, underlines the urgency of addressing these concerns for tenant health and wellbeing.

Implementation

Use Case Design Objectives

​​The primary objective of this project was to proactively enhance the living experiences of  tenants by intervening in potential conditions that could lead to damp and mould before issues escalated. Quantifying the scale of the damp problem in properties helped to identify and/or trigger site visits and surveys to address immediate treatment but also identify longer-term solutions to the issues that reoccur. The comprehensive and cost-effective technology used for this project meant that the council could also use the sensors to ensure implemented measures provided the desired outcomes.

Commissioning (budget/procurement)

Towards the end of 2022, a selection of relevant suppliers listed on the Crown Commercial Services (CSS) Spark dynamic purchasing systems (DPS) were invited to tender a competitive process managed by the Sutton Procurement team. The contract was awarded to IoT Solutions Group with a budget range of less than £50,000 and trials typically lasted less than 12 months.

Deployment (what / who / where / how long)

A number of sensors were delivered to residents’ properties and installed in the rooms on concern within a matter of seconds (a plastic tab is simply removed from the back of the device).

Technology Implemented

Adopting IoT in-home sensors for their ability to monitor temperature and humidity, the council aimed to identify at-risk properties efficiently. This approach was part of a broader strategy to ensure healthy living environments and was supported by the successful use of IoTSG’s DORIS care sensors in other contexts. Focusing on temporary accommodation, the council deployed sensors to monitor environmental conditions. Real-time data from these sensors enabled the council to prioritise interventions, leveraging web-based dashboards and weekly status reports for effective monitoring.

Outcomes

Results / Key Findings

This project principally focused on tracking issues in temporary accommodation properties. Once installed, the data collected from these sensors was available on a web-based dashboard, as well as being delivered as weekly red-amber-green status reports. This allowed Temporary Accommodation teams at Kingston Council to prioritise the investigation of those properties most at risk of damp and mould and take preventative measures.

The initiative identified residents at risk of fuel poverty and properties with high humidity, enabling targeted advice and structural improvements. The project’s success in preventing mould growth and enhancing tenant satisfaction underscores the effectiveness of this proactive approach.

The insights from these sensors have enabled Kingston’s Housing Teams to take a proactive approach and address property issues before mould starts to grow. This included identifying residents that they needed to engage with and properties that needed structural improvements.

Further results included:

• Up to 30% of residents who had these sensors were identified as potentially suffering from fuel poverty, enabling advice and support to be provided 
• Properties where the humidity was identified as exceptionally high, were also sent information to help prevent condensation and the growth of damp and mould.
• The sensors were able to identify whether a resident had been using their heating or not, therefore impacting the likelihood of damp and mould in the property.
• It was observed that a void property can create a fridge-like effect around other properties.

David Hill, Accommodation Manager for The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, commented on the project:

“These sensors were warmly welcomed to nip problems in the bud before they happened, but also to give us a bigger understanding of what is going on inside properties. The sensors enabled us to identify properties with critical cold and potential for mould, allowing them to go and talk to residents and offer any available support. It’s a wonderful bit of kit; fantastic!”

Benefits / Usefulness of Data

The overall tenant experience was enhanced by ensuring improved living conditions and supporting tenant health and general satisfaction. Additionally, this solution has supported service improvements and efficiencies. 

Lessons Learned

This technology has enabled the council to take a proactive, rather than the traditional reactive, approach to tackling homes at risk of damp and mould. The simple single-sensor design means that residents don’t need to do anything, making it super easy for the council to collect data. Using a battery-powered NB-IoT device meant the sensors could be deployed anywhere without having to use the residents power or connectivity. NB-IoT performs better indoors than mobile signal, allowing monitoring of void properties which did give some indication to officers of what a “baseline” (i.e. unheated) property looks like – this aided in analysis later on. 

The following case-specific lesson’s were captured:

• Where the council was being taken to court for disrepair the sensor was useful for noting that the resident had not being using the heating and therefore contributing to damp and mould in the property
• Where the council had a void, the effect of a void is creating a fridge like effect around other properties and on a large scale decant the council should look to decant floor by floor (where possible) from the top of the building working their way down
• The council was able to identify several residents who might be suffering from fuel poverty and advice was sent to them
• The council was able to identity one property where the humidity was significant, allowing for immediate contact to be progressed
• Effort was needed by staff to ensure shared communications to residents were made aware across teams so that an aligned approach could be progressed – training for staff on how this should be managed would have been useful
• Additional staff resources were needed to contact tenants, support the tenants with queries, carry out inspections and arrange follow on works, as a result of the output of the results of the trial
• Some residents did not engage (respond to phone or email) after sensors were deployed – which added to additional time-consuming effort 
• The adoption of these IoT sensors additionally saved hundreds of survey hours by giving a continuous picture of property conditions remotely.

Conclusion

Kingston Council’s use of this IoT solution has set a new benchmark in tenant services, showcasing how technology can effectively address and prevent common housing issues. This initiative reflects the council’s dedication to proactive, high-quality tenant support.

Photos from the use case

Damp and Mould Sensor

Contact

For further information, please contact the service leads involved in this project, listed below.

David Hill
Accommodation Manager – Housing
Royal Borough of Kingston
david.hill@kingston.gov.uk

Theresa Mayers
Business Assurance Officer – Housing
Royal Borough of Kingston
theresa.mayers@kingston.gov.uk

Pierre Venter
IoT Delivery Manager
Royal Borough of Kingston and London Borough of Sutton
pierre.venter@sutton.gov.uk

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