EXTRA temporary staff are being drafted in to tackle a “significant rise” in the number of damp homes in Colchester.

Colchester Council’s homes company, Colchester Borough Homes (CBH), has recorded and inspected 570 damp homes in the past 12 months, it has been revealed.

The new data comes from agenda papers ahead of the latest meeting of the city council’s governance and audit committee, which is due to be held on Thursday.

It comes after a meeting in March where CBH’s chief executive, Philip Sullivan, highlighted the struggles the company was having with its homes.

He also mentioned how the number of damp and mould inspections raised with the association saw a 96 per cent increase between August 2022 and August 2023 from 234 to 458 within that period.

A subsequent Gazette investigation revealed 12 per cent of all 80,038 occupied council or private homes in Colchester have been deemed not fit for purpose.

Residents told the paper black mould and asbestos in their homes had left children being hospitalised multiple times.

This week’s agenda papers reveal how temporary staff are being used at present to increase capacity, while bosses at CBH say more permanent staff are being taken on to tackle the issue.

A spokesperson for CBH said: “We want to assure our tenants that we take the issue of damp and mould very seriously.

Awful - an example of mould at a Colchester flatAwful - an example of mould at a Colchester flat

“Due to recent events and heightened media coverage, we have seen a significant rise in tenants reporting damp and mould concerns.

“The 570 cases recorded and inspected in the past 12 months pertain to 570 individual homes.

“This reflects an increased awareness of potential health risks rather than a sudden surge in new cases, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and action.

“We’re committed to addressing these concerns and are actively working on several fronts.

“Our damp and mould team is expanding by two permanent positions to handle inspections and repairs more efficiently.

“Additionally, we are using temporary staff until we can fill these permanent posts.

"While it is more expensive to use temporary staff, it is essential that we continue to resource this area of work to help ensure we manage damp and mould cases effectively.”

Bosses of the council’s homes company also say they have secured new contractors to manage the increased workload and ensure timely completion of surveys and repairs.