Concerns raised around ‘inadequate’ housing conditions for Dorset veterans
There are claims army veterans in Dorset are living in dated homes, plagued with mould and damp
Last updated 8th May 2024
It's claimed homes of military veterans in Dorset are plagued by damp, mould and pest infestations, according to a new report.
A Bournemouth-based charity says there are deficiencies in the accommodation provided to veterans and their families during and post-service.
David Wood, CEO of Helping Homeless Veterans UK, tells us these issues not only compromise the health and well-being of service families but also severely damage morale and mental health.
He said: “The houses our military personnel live in are often very outdated and many of them have pretty bad deformities such as mould across walls to gas and electrical faults.
“I know of service people who have made multiple complaints but they’ve been completely ignored and it's not until they share it on social media that all of a sudden the problems are addressed.”
It has also been suggested the quality of life offered by current service accommodations may deter skilled personnel from long-term commitments to the Armed Forces.
“It's not very clever to have the houses in this condition because it does no favours for the Ministry of Defence with regards to retention,” Mr Wood added.
He claims that for many years the accommodation for many military personnel and their families has been poor, and in many cases unacceptable.
“Money that should have been utilised for building new military properties has not been there,” he said. “It’s our service people and our veterans that are suffering even though government have been warned about the issues on many occasions.”
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We are committed to the welfare of Service Personnel and their families, and the Defence Secretary has made improving the standard of military accommodation a personal priority.
“That is why are investing an additional £400 million over the next two years to improve military housing that is available, which will include activity such as damp and mould improvements to around 5,000 properties.”