Mum says "disgusting" damp-ridden flat is making her kids ill

[rebbonk]

Cheap techniques!

At one time council homes were a superior build because the local authority didn't want the aggravation (or cost) of maintenance. Sadly, times have changed and we now look at short-termism.

[dutchman]

Since it was taken over by West Mercia, Whitefriars has cut back on routine maintenance. For example where they used to renew the entire roof of a block of flats they now only replace the section immediately above where a leak has been reported. That has resulted in a patchwork of roofing where one section is often leaking at any one time. Getting certain repairs done is now impossible.

Most of Whitefriars housing stock is past its design life and beyond economic repair. The properties were designed (by the council) to last just fifty years and are now well beyond that. That's one reason the council offloaded its entire stock of housing to Whitefriars for just one pound.