Action 5
Summary
- 82% of respondents agree with action 5 – to promote best practice on building maintenance and ventilation to promote better indoor air quality
- Those who agree with action 5 most commonly consider it to be common sense, a good idea, or important (14%), or mention that enforcement with be difficult but important; that landlords need to be held to account (12%)
- Just over a quarter of those who disagree with action 5 feel that it is not needed and that it is a ‘nanny state’ policy
- For those with a neutral opinion, 13% feel that it is the residents’ responsibility to maintain their building/home and ensure sufficient ventilation
How much do you agree or disagree with action 5?
Base: Total sample (499)
This chart shows:
50% of respondents strongly agree with action 5
32% of respondents agree
13% of respondents neither agree nor disagree
2% of respondents disagree
3% of respondents strongly disagree
Please tell us why you agree with action 5?
Base: All those who agree with action 5 (410)
| wdt_ID | Key themes | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Commonsense/good idea/important | 14 |
| 3 | Enforcement difficult but important/landlords need to be held to account | 12 |
| 12 | Awareness and education is important | 9 |
| 13 | No one should be living in damp/mouldy or substandard housing | 9 |
| 14 | Improves health/counters poor health impacts from damp and mould | 8 |
| 15 | Latest buildings regs and best practice should be followed e.g. spaces to dry laundry, sustainable materials | 8 |
| 16 | Practical information for residents needed on how to tackle these problems (whilst also keeping properties warm at an affordable price and not letting in outdoor pollution) | 7 |
| 17 | Housing stock needs modernising | 5 |
| 18 | Renters need protection and support | 4 |
| 19 | Funding needed/not a quick fix | 4 |
| 20 | Most likely to affect the poor and vulnerable | 3 |
| 21 | Independent inspections/reporting system needed e.g. from the council | 3 |
| 22 | Residents' responsibility as well | 2 |
| 23 | Council action needed e.g. don't allow HMOs with insufficient ventilation, make sure their own portfolio is up to standard | 2 |
| 24 | Portsmouth particularly prone to damp and mould issues | 1 |
| 25 | Other e.g. unclear who partners are, business should be involved, will help the environment more broadly, doesn't fix underlying causes of most pollution, office air often unhealthy/poorly ventilated | 3 |
| 26 | Na/no comment | 35 |
Respondent quotes:
“I agree this would be good, but a realistic timeframe would be required, especially as the majority of housing in parts of the city are older and would require specific updating potentially”
“I think air quality in the home has a large impact on people’s health. Landlords should be compelled to provide housing fit for use”
“I worked within the housing industry for many years and was continually surprised at people’s ignorance of simple acts like opening windows for ventilation would stop mould forming.”
“No one should be living in damp or substandard dwellings in this day and age”
Please could you tell us why you disagree with action 5?
Base: All those who disagree with action 5 (26*) *caution small base
| wdt_ID | Key themes | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not needed/nanny state | 27 |
| 3 | Awareness alone won't fix the issue | 12 |
| 12 | Won't fix the underlying causes of pollution e.g. shipping/traffic | 12 |
| 13 | Criticism that the council has got rid of most of its own expertise in building-related staff and outsourced it all e.g. heating engineers, building maintenance roles, architects | 8 |
| 14 | Other e.g. it is residents who need educating about how to prevent mould and damp, why only rental homes included, will cause landlords to withdraw from the market, mould is a building fault and not a pollution issue | 15 |
| 15 | Na/no comment | 31 |
Respondent quotes:
“We all have control over our homes. We need you as the Council to control the inconsiderate behaviour of car drivers who are forcing their carcinogenic fumes down our throats!”
Please could you tell us why you neither agree nor disagree with action 5?
Base: All those who neither agree nor disagree with action 5 (63)
| wdt_ID | Key themes | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Residents' responsibility | 13 |
| 3 | Need enforcement for landlords to comply | 8 |
| 12 | Won't work/not needed | 6 |
| 13 | Other external pollution issues are more important | 6 |
| 14 | Existing legislation sufficient | 5 |
| 15 | Other e.g. too vague, should be a separate programme from clean air, need to modernise housing stock and introduce insulation | 10 |
| 16 | Na/no comment | 52 |
Respondent quotes:
“All that is needed is to get people to open their windows to let fresh air in, but they are so used to living in a warm air tight environment which produces air pollution and damp, which they then complain about.”
“Mainly an issue with landlords who should be made to do the work without subsidies from council tax payers.”
