A councillor has called for action to address the housing repair backlog risk in Cardiff to ensure that people are not being left in "potentially unsafe accommodation". Cardiff Council ward member for Gabalfa, Cllr Rhys Taylor, asked at a Cardiff Council meeting what is being done to support the responsive repair unit at Cardiff Council to address outstanding housing repair work, stating that a number of residents have come to him with damp issues - with one resident allegedly being "repeatedly unwell" because of the issue.
A Freedom of Information request found that on May 31 there were 12,111 outstanding repairs for social housing. Of those, 2,300 have been waiting to be completed for more than six months, and more than 1,400 for more than a year. According to Cardiff Council, the figure 12,111 relates to all cases currently in the council’s responsive repairs system, including properties visited ahead of a repair starting, repairs already underway and in communal areas.
Cllr Taylor raised the issue at a meeting of full council on June 30, cabinet member for housing and communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: "As I have regularly reported to council over the last few months, the responsive repairs unit faced considerable issues during the pandemic, with extensive periods when operatives were not able to access properties. As a result, a backlog of 5,720 jobs was accumulated.
