Awaab’s law came into force on Monday, forcing landlords to act more quickly on damp and mould in social housing, but campaigners warn the private rented sector is still being neglected
The father of a two-year-old boy who died from mould in his social housing flat says he never wants anyone else to go through what they have – as a new law brought in after his death comes into effect.
Awaab Ishak died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s housing association flat in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
His father, Faisal Ishak, had complained repeatedly to the housing provider, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, about the mould in the three years leading up to his son’s death – but nothing was done.
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The young boy’s death sparked widespread outrage and led to the introduction of Awaab’s Law, which mandates landlords to rectify reported hazards in social housing more quickly and rehouse tenants in safe accommodation if necessary.
Social housing landlords in England could face court action and compensation orders if they fail to promptly improve conditions for tenants, under a new law known as Awaab’s Law.
But as the rules come into force in England, a UK-wide survey found 23% of those who said they had issues such as damp, mould or condensation in their homes were social renters, while 21% were in private rented accommodation.
The survey, conducted earlier this month by Censuswide for the Health Equals campaign, involved 3,982 adults. The campaign argues that lives are being shortened across the UK due to issues like damp, cold and mould in homes.
Campaigners are now urging for these stricter requirements for social landlords to be extended urgently to the private rented sector. Whilst the Government has pledged to extend Awaab’s Law to this sector through the Renters’ Rights Bill, which is currently awaiting Royal assent, no firm timeframe has been provided.
Chief campaigns officer Paul McDonald said whilst Awaab’s Law is an “important milestone”, their research demonstrates “we need to go further”.
What are the new rules?
The new rules, taking effect from Monday, mean landlords across England’s four million social rent homes will be required to take urgent action to fix dangerous homes. The new legal duties include an obligation to fix health and safety hazards which are classed as an emergency within 24 hours of reporting.
Landlords must ensure damp and mould which is classed as significant is investigated within 10 working days of being notified and have a further five days to make properties safe. They are also required to communicate their findings in writing to tenants within three working days of inspection.
If there are young children, disabled people or those with health conditions living in the property, alternative accommodation must be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes. Housing Secretary Steve Reed has stated: “Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death.
“Awaab’s family has fought hard for change and their work to protect millions of tenants’ lives will live on as a legacy to their son. Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.”
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Ishak said he was grateful there was now a new law protecting people going forward, and although it would “never bring Awaab back… it might be enough to protect others”.
Following Awaab’s death, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing was eventually stripped of its funding, and its chief executive, Gareth Swarbrick, was sacked after it emerged that he earned £170,000 during the year of Awaab’s death.
Mr Ishak added: “It was really hard for me. I lost my first child suddenly – it was really hard. We were very angry but couldn’t do anything about it. We didn’t get help. They have to learn from our case.”