FOI request (FOIR-798104352)

Hoarding conditions

Requested Thu 12 February 2026
Responded Thu 07 May 2026

1. The total amount spent by the council on deep cleaning, specialist cleaning, clearance or similar services relating to residential properties where hoarding has been identified as an issue, for the years 2021 onwards up to the most recent available complete year.

2. The number of social services referrals made by the council relating specifically to residents identified as hoarders or living in hoarding conditions, for the years 2021 onwards up to the most recent available complete year.

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Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

Q1. Hastings Borough Council undertook a large scale voluntary transfer of its housing stock in 1996 and subsequently only has a relatively small housing portfolio. The Council does not collate cleaning, clearance or specialist cleaning costs in a way that enables reporting specifically where hoarding has been identified as an issue. As such, we are unable to provide the requested expenditure figures. However, the Council can confirm that it has experienced limited instances of hoarding within its housing stock during the period in question.

Q2. Hastings Borough Council does not hold data on social services referrals that are recorded or categorised specifically by reference to hoarding. We are therefore unable to provide the number of referrals relating to residents identified as hoarders or living in hoarding conditions. Where incidents of hoarding have arisen, these have typically involved residents presenting with multiple compound needs with hoarding not assessed as the predominant support need.