Resident Questions for Housing Area Panel

Reference Number: C3.4                    

Department

Housing

Date question raised

23/08/2022

Date of Area Panel

11/10/2022

Area in city

Central Area

Star rating applied by residents

3 Star

Deadline for officer response

19/09/2022

Name of officer responding

Geof Gage

Officer job title

Head of Housing Investment and Asset Management

Resident Question

Title of Question

Insulation of Council Properties

Issue:

The importance of insulating Council properties has been underlined by the enormous rise in energy costs. Urgent action is needed.

Background:

Residents have been raising the importance of insulation for some time. There is now a crisis situation, where many residents will be thrown into fuel poverty over the winter. Insulation would reduce costs and save energy.

Action requested by residents:

There needs to be a firm commitment from the council to insulate properties as a priority and a clear message to all residents about the Council’s plans.

Officer Response

Officer contact details:

Miles Davidson, miles.davidson@brighton-hove.gov.uk

 

Officer Response:

The Council has historically had programmes of insulation in our properties, and we will continue to build further programmes of insulation as part of our planned maintenance and carbon neutral programmes. Aligned to a revised Asset Management Strategy we are developing an energy plan that will outline the opportunities and programmes for improving the fabric of our building alongside our Carbon neutral 2030 programme.

 

Where we identify opportunities to improve the insulation of homes through existing programmes we do so where feasible, for example our current Air Source Heat Pump installation programme includes a survey of the insulation and will improve this where needed and possible.

 

In addition, the Housing Repairs & Maintenance roofing teams do undertake work around loft insulation top ups.  This work is either generated by the tenant contacting us, roofing operatives noting the lack of insulation when inspecting the property or referrals from the damp team who are visiting the property to investigate damp/condensation.  The team currently have a backlog of repair work.  However, once this has reduced, we could look to encourage tenants to check their lofts and contact us through proactive communications including articles in Home In.

Action:

N/A

 

Start date:

N/A

End date:

N/A