Analysis from ARC Building Solutions has identified a concerning disconnect between compliance rates and a real surge in healthy homes.
Data from the most recent Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) has shown landlords reporting very high rates of statutory safety compliance, whilst tenant feedback highlights weaker performance in areas including complaint handling, communication and trust.
The findings echo the sentiment that compliance alone is not enough to achieve the radical increase in healthy homes and living standards the sector has been pushing towards. Safety checks such as gas, fire and water compliance are vital, and significant progress has been made in these areas, but even with compliance rates sitting at or near 100%, too many residents are still living in homes affected by damp and mould, with around one‑fifth of households impacted.
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The TSM data also shows that, nationally, emergency repairs are completed on time in around 95% of cases, indicating strong capacity to respond when urgent issues arise. That capability is crucial, especially with Awaab’s Law rightly sharpening focus on response times and housing conditions. However, satisfaction with complaints handling remains significantly lower, at just 36% across the sector.
The data points to an opportunity to reduce the number of cases that reach the complaints stage by preventing damp and mould from escalating – and well-designed retrofit is a key part of that. As it stands, many damp and mould cases stem from partial or poorly detailed retrofit works, where insulation is added but thermal continuity is not fully addressed.
Dr Alex Boote, Product & Innovation Manager at ARC, said: “We often see homes where walls, roofs or windows have been upgraded, but key junctions such as the eaves have been overlooked. That creates cold spots where condensation forms, increasing the risk of thermal bridging, damp and mould. Effective retrofit has to consider the whole building envelope, not just individual elements.
“Damp and mould are fixable problems, but they require the right expertise. The priority now is ensuring homes are assessed properly, retrofit is designed with real‑world performance in mind, and action is taken early – before conditions escalate into health risks and repeat complaints.”
Altogether, the findings point to a clear opportunity for landlords to shift from reactive response to preventative action. The latest TSM results and tenant feedback offer a practical foundation for strengthening asset management strategies and supporting earlier interventions, including quality retrofit, that help prevent homes deteriorating and reduce the need for complaints.
Find ARC’s full analysis of the latest TSM data here.
