Introduction
The residential team within the Environmental Health service carry out a number of functions and interventions aimed at improving the health of the individual and their living environment.
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Assessing and Tackling Housing conditions. This is achieved by enforcement, facilitating grant aid applications home improvement loans, or providing simple easy to understand advise to allow those who are able to help themselves
- Regulating high risk property landlords
- Community anti-social behaviour and positive assessment & mediation intervention
- Residential Noise complaints
- Licensing of Caravan sites
An example of how these work areas can influence the Boroughs health is the work surrounding housing conditions. Poor housing conditions are linked to a number of detrimental physical and mental health impacts. Studies have shown that inadequate levels of heating and additional factors associated with fuel poverty are linked, to respiratory problems in children and an increased risk of mortality in older adults, and in particular older men (ONS, 2013/14).
In addition to excessive cold, other hazards such as falls, excessive heat, communicable diseases and sanitation arrangements are routinely assessed within the general housing stock (including houses in multiple occupation) under the housing health and safety rating system. Furthermore, assessment against licensing conditions attached to houses in multiple occupation are also carried out.