What Fit for Human Habitation means

Since 1 December 2022, we must now ensure that as part of the Renting Homes Wales Act (RHWA) that all of our properties are fit for human habitation (FFHH) from the beginning of your contract and throughout your time with us. This means that your homes must be the best possible space for you live and thrive.

We must make sure that all our properties include:

    • The presence of smoke alarms in working order
    • The presence of carbon monoxide detectors in working order
    • The inspection and testing of electrical installation

Our properties must already be in line with the Welsh Housing Quality Standards (WHQS), but we now have 29 additional areas to prevent you from living in unfit conditions including things like damp and mould or fungal growth, as well as exposure to the cold.

Both damp and mould are caused by dampness and/or high humidity which are influenced by:

  • Reduced ventilation levels
  • Increased humidity, particularly above 70%
  • Warmer indoor temperatures particularly in winter

However, we will work with you to try and prevent damp and/or mould appearing in your home so that it does not get worse. You just need to call us on 0345 260 2633 or email our repairs team on repairs@cynon-taf.org.uk

What you can take responsibility for

  • Keeping a lid on pans when cooking is more energy efficient as less heat is lost, and it also reduces the amount of moisture that is released into the air as steam.  If you have an extractor fan or hood in your kitchen, you should ensure that this is running when you cook. It costs just 10p a week to run this fan
  • Use your bathroom for drying clothes, by closing the door closed and have the windows open
  • If you have a tumble dryer, make sure that it is correctly vented as a single load can release two litres of water into the air as steam. By ensuring that your dryer vents outside your house, you can prevent this moisture from condensing on cold walls
  • Your kitchen is one of the rooms that contribute the most moisture in your home.  When cooking food, you should ensure that the doors are closed to prevent the moist air from going into colder rooms where it will cause condensation to form
    • If you take a hot bath or shower, steam will form in your bathroom that can escape into the rest of the house if the doors are open and cause damp in other rooms.  Make sure that you close your bathroom door when using hot water to keep as much moisture in the bathroom as possible
    • Use a decent sized bathmat will help to avoid saturating bathroom floors when you are getting out of the bath or shower. The bathmat will help soak up some of the moisture, helping to reduce the condensation in the room
    • Make sure that your furniture is at least 5cm away from the surrounding walls so that air can circulate more easily. Placing wardrobes against internal walls means that the temperature in the wardrobe will be slightly warmer and help reduce damp and mould problems
    • If you do not have an extractor fan in your kitchen or bathroom, try and keep on top of moisture by wiping down cold surfaces after you cook or bathe.  This can help to reduce the amount of moisture that can form and will also reduce the risk of mould being able to grow

Identifying the disrepair

If you are experiencing a disrepair in your home, the more information you can give us at the start, means that we will be able to try and get it resolved as quickly as we can.

Here are some examples of what we need to know

  • Is your home unstable? Have you spotted any large cracks or has your floor become sloped in any way?
  • Is there a serious problem with damp? Is this due to not enough ventilation or are you having issues with your heating system?
  • Have you had a problem with the supply of hot and cold water into your home? Is it impacting on your ability to do laundry or washing up?
  • Are you having a problem with the drainage of your sinks and toilet?

When it comes to repairing your home, we must give you at least 24 hours’ notice and our visit will be within reasonable hours, so that we can fit in with your commitments.

If you can smell gas in your property, then we suggest you call 0800 111 999 as an emergency and then inform us of the issue.

Are there any exceptions?

As your landlord, we are responsible for fixing a lot of problems in your home. However, there are exceptions including:

  • Problems caused by tenant behaviour – which means that you or another tenant has acted irresponsibly or illegally, and we are not obligated to fix any problems caused by your behaviour
  • Events like fires, storms and floods which are completely out of our control means that we will help rectify damage caused by these events, but they do not represent a disrepair under the Fit for Human Habitation regulation
  • We will not repair your possessions or furniture belonging to any previous tenants that was not included in the inventory provided at the start of your contract with us