Mould or cold? Contrasting representations of unhealthy housing in Denmark and England and the relation to energy poverty

Abstract

Both mould growth and underheating in housing are widely recognised as health concerns, but the problematisation and handling of these issues varies greatly in different nations. In this paper we compare Danish and English understandings of mould and cold in homes. Drawing on Bacchi's ‘What is the problem represented to be?’ framework, we ask how mould is understood in the two national contexts by analysing how it is problematised in key national policy documents, uncovering the effects of these contrasting problematisations on the way in which mould is managed in rental housing. Following Bacchi's approach, we find that contrasting problematisations of mould lead to highly divergent management approaches, in turn shaping public health consequences for those living with mould and cold. While in Denmark mould is central to rental housing management, and considered an important issue in its own right, in England mould is seen as a by-product of under-heating as a result of fuel poverty. In Denmark, a discourse of poverty is suppressed, since mould is framed as a building issue rather than related to income inequality, while in England mould in buildings is not adequately addressed due to a strong focus on access to warmth. By showing how policy problematisations shape housing management, our work suggests the value of a critical approach to housing and energy policy, which has salience to contexts beyond the UK and Denmark. We finish by identifying the risks of these narrow problematisations, suggesting the productive possibility of tackling both mould and cold together.