We must hold the bosses of Housing Associations to account

After an alarming report in the Liverpool Echo this week regarding a property in the Dingle area of my constituency I have written to Torus Housing Association requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the issue of housing disrepair across Liverpool Riverside.

I was horrified at what I saw in the article, particularly, the photographs highlighting the sheer state of disrepair in my constituents home. I immediately reached out to the team at the ECHO who had produced the report to ask them to put my office in contact with Mr Francis who was the resident of the property.

Upon my team speaking to Mr Francis and the feedback I have had from other constituents who have contacted my office for support with similar issues, I will be writing to all housing associations with properties in my constituency to ask for meetings to discuss the state of the housing tenure. Unfortunately, the photos of Mr Francis’ home were not the first we have seen of this kind, other images have been circulated on social media showing disrepair, damp and mould evidencing that across the city we have a real issue with housing association properties.

Much of the housing stock in Liverpool is old and has not been properly maintained, meaning the houses are now very difficult to retrofit or repair. The increasing reports of damp and mould in homes is now a major issue in Liverpool and a major health issue for the city.

Liverpool already has health inequality issues and specific problems with respiratory illnesses. Those conditions will only be made worse by living in cold, damp and mouldy homes.

Immediate action is needed on this. Given recent figures today of a 4.2m waiting list for social housing, 310,000 children sharing beds with parents or siblings because of overcrowding, ongoing high energy and food costs, it's a situation that looks likely to get worse.

Myself and my team will be pushing on this issue, in coming months as I meet with the various housing associations. Therefore, if you are a resident of Liverpool Riverside need my help or support raising issues of disrepair please do not hesitate to get in touch and my office will do our best to support you.