Mansfield council defends 'good standard' home after woman's death linked to mould by coroner

At the request of the coroner, the council has written to 64 neighbouring residents requesting to carry out home inspection

A council has defended their homes after a coroner said that mould in one of their properties could have contributed to a woman's death. A prevention of future deaths report was issued to Mansfield District Council in December 2023, following the death of Jane Bennett who may have died due to "severe mould" in her council property.

The 52-year-old died on June 8, 2023 at Kings Mill Hospital in Sutton in Ashfield, after she was diagnosed with a lung disease in April 2023. She had lived in her council house from October 2022 until she was admitted to hospital for the final time in May 2023.

The report by Coroner Neena Sharma states that Mrs Bennett found "severe mould" in her property and that a post-mortem examination found the cause of death as being 1a Acute exacerbation of non-specific interstitial pneumonitis. The doctor stated in their comments that "mould in her house could have contributed to the development of interstitial lung disease.”

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In the report the coroner asked the council to inspect their other properties in the area for mould, and for action to be taken if mould was found. Mansfield District Council have now addressed the concerns raised by Coroner Sharma and offered reassurance to their tenants.

Jill Finnesey, head of housing, at Mansfield District Council, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of Jane Bennett and offer our sincere condolences to her family. In our response to the coroner, the council seeks to provide certainty that we responded to inspections, successfully completed all repairs, including those relating to damp and mould, in a timely manner. We want to give assurance that the council was diligent in carrying out appropriate works to her property during her short tenancy."

She explained that in regards to Mrs Bennett's home, the council were "made aware of a small amount of mould" which was isolated to the bedroom drawers and wardrobe. It is understood that this was reported and investigated early on in her tenancy.

Ms Finnesey continued: "A zero-tolerance approach was taken to mould and proactive mould treatment was undertaken on 11 January following an inspection on 5 January as a preventative measure to minimise any risk to Mrs Bennett’s health and wellbeing. We have also evidenced that the property had 17 repairs and maintenance jobs carried out during the tenancy and that Mrs Bennett was provided with advice and guidance throughout her tenancy to support her to manage moisture levels.

“We have provided evidence to support our view that the living conditions in her home were to a good standard. This is supported by the Savills stock condition survey carried out at the property on 6 December 2021 and the timeline of inspections and repairs from October 2022 to April 2023 that the council submitted to the coroner."

At the request of the coroner, the council has written to 64 neighbouring residents requesting to carry out home inspections and provide advice on how to best deal with damp and mould. So far, 41 inspections have been carried out in those properties, and the council will continue to make sure homes are maintained to the standards set by the Housing Regulator.

Ms Finnesey stated: "Other proactive measures the council has undertaken include a social media campaign in November 2023 covering damp and mould that reached nearly 90,000 people. Information on this matter was also included in our annual report to residents which was printed and distributed to every tenant in 2023.

“The coroner will now review the information that we have provided, and we will continue to cooperate with any requests for information. The council takes its role as landlord and tenant health and wellbeing very seriously.

"Any resident with concerns about their council-owned property should contact our customer services team on 01623 463463, email mdc@mansfield.gov.uk or speak to their housing officer to report any issues to us.”