Homelessness charity Shelter has welcomed the Government’s announcement that landlords will be forced to deal with damp and mould in tenants’ homes.
‘Awaab’s Law’ will be included as an amendment in the social housing bill now going through parliament, housing secretary Michael Gove said. It was named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died because of damp and mould in his home which was managed by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.
Mr Gove made the announcement on a visit to Rochdale where he met with Awaab’s family and the housing association’s interim chief executive.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Gove said: 'Today we have announced tough new laws to force social landlords to fix their homes within strict new time limits.
'Those landlords who continue to drag their feet over dangerous damp and mould will face the full force of the law.
'Our Social Housing Bill will enshrine tenants’ rights in law and strengthen the Housing Ombudsman and Regulator’s powers so that poor social landlords have nowhere to hide.
'Awaab’s Law will help to ensure that homes across the country are safe, decent and warm.'
A consultation will be launched later this year to set the timeframes within which landlords will have to act to investigate hazards and make repairs.
The new rules will form part of the tenancy agreement, so tenants can hold landlords to account by law if they fail to provide a decent home.
Shelter’s chief executive Polly Neate said: ‘For too long, too many social housing tenants have been forced to live in dangerous conditions in homes riddled with mould, with their complaints going unheard and unanswered.
‘Thanks to the campaigning by Awaab Ishak’s family, the inclusion of Awaab’s Law in the Social Housing Regulation Bill will ensure landlords deal with serious hazards in social homes in a timely manner.’
