In 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak, of Rochdale, died needlessly. His death was due to the exacerbation of a chronic respiratory condition caused by the presence of mould in his residence. His tragic death has posed serious questions about housing safety regulations in the UK. So in response to this tragedy, lawmakers are doing real and substantial things to save lives going forward. The coroner, Joanne Kearsley, famously questioned during the inquest, “How – in the UK in 2020 – does a two-year-old child die from exposure to mould in his home?” This question rings true as millions continue to be endangered by comparable dangers.
In July 2023, the UK government named and introduced Awaab’s Law. This law is designed so that renters are provided with safe and healthy housing free from damp and mould. This legislation requires social landlords in England to stop this kind of abuse within narrowly defined timelines. Fines are rooted in the fact that landlords need to have inspected reported hazards within ten business days. Once the inspection occurs, they must fix the violations within five days. Higher-level issues, like gas leaks or health-impacting black mould, need to be addressed in 24 hours.
The law is not without its shortcomings. At present it excludes the private rented and owner occupation sectors, and only applies to the social rented sector, including council housing and homes rented from housing associations. That leaves around 4.6 million renting households in England still unprotected under Awaab’s Law. Recent national statistics underscore this need for increased protection. As of 2023, 3.8 million homes did not meet the decent home standard. Alarmingly, 1.3 million homes—almost 5% of all homes—indicated problems with damp.
The problem of homes with excess damp is most acute in the private rented sector, where in 2020 21% were deemed as non-decent. Over a million children now reside in homes affected by dampness, a condition that poses significant public health threats. Faisal Abdullah, Awaab’s father, said he could not understand why nothing had been done before his son died.
“They don’t do anything for you – it’s really devastating,” – Faisal Abdullah
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing is already going above and beyond to get their internal processes ready for Awaab’s Law. This new commitment is a world away from the realities that private renters experience. They stated, “The most important thing to us is our customers live in safe, warm and comfortable homes.” Second, they’ve been very aggressive and proactive about going above and beyond, i.e reviewing their internal operational practices and procedures.
“Over the last 18 months our teams have been working hard to ensure we are ready for the introduction of Awaab’s Law, and we have reviewed and improved all our work processes and practices.” – Rochdale Boroughwide Housing
Officials have not realized the huge impact that the introduction of Awaab’s Law could have by putting unsustainable pressure on landlords. BPC’s Michael Parrett expressed concern about the impacts these new regulations would have.
“What it’s going to do is put landlords under extreme pressure,” – Michael Parrett
Councils are also facing challenges. Cllr Tom Hunt emphasized that sufficient funding is essential for councils to manage existing pressures on housing stock while implementing new measures effectively.
“Councils need sufficient funding to mitigate the existing pressures on housing stock so that they can put these new measures in place swiftly.” – Cllr Tom Hunt
Awaab’s Law has already started an incredible discussion about damp and mould issues happening all across the UK. This exchange underscores just how dire and systemic these issues truly are. Yet health professionals are more often facing these issues in practice. Hannah, a frontline healthcare worker, raised the alarming statistic that 98,000 health care workers in the U.S. suffer from asthma, all connected to unhealthy housing conditions.
“I work in fairly deprived areas and see a high number of patients whose symptoms are made worse, or even caused, by damp and mould in their homes,” – Hannah
As awareness grows, advocates believe that Awaab’s Law represents a vital step towards improving housing conditions and strengthening tenants’ rights. Housing Secretary Steve Reed recently announced that this law will put power back in the hands of tenants. Second, it will force landlords to act more quickly when lives are on the line.
“[It] will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.” – Housing Secretary Steve Reed
Significant doubt still lingers about whether this law will actually solve the systemic problems leading to dampness in homes. Michael Parrett cautioned that many landlords might find it very challenging to meet the new requirements, given existing operational pressure.
“There is a national epidemic of damp and mould cases which has prevailed for many years,” – Michael Parrett
Awaab’s Law has been enacted, but most advocates feel it does not go far enough. They call for stronger action to provide complete protections for all renters. Without addressing these flaws, millions in rented commercial and private sector accommodations will continue to be at risk for health harms from substandard housing.
The tragic story of Awaab Ishak serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for change within the UK’s housing sector. As discussions around damp and mould continue to evolve, advocates are hopeful that comprehensive reforms will soon extend beyond social housing into private rentals, ensuring safer living environments for all families.
