After the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak due to exposure to damp and mould in his home, his parents, with support from Shelter and the Manchester Evening News, have successfully campaigned to change the law to prevent it happening again.
Legislation has been introduced that requires landlords to respond to reports of damp and mould within set timescales. The government has published its consultation and proposes that landlords must investigate hazards within 14 days and then either start necessary repairs within an additional seven days or carry out emergency repairs within 24 hours.
If, after investigation, the landlord finds that a hazard poses a significant, or a significant and imminent, risk of harm or danger, and the property cannot be made safe within the timescales set out above, it must offer to arrange for the resident to stay in suitable alternative accommodation until it is safe to return.
The proposals also place stronger requirements on landlords to recognise the health impact that a hazard has on the resident or any household member.
We are currently drafting a response to the consultation. Residents are also invited to respond and can do so by reading the full proposals and answering the questions set out on the DLUHC consultation webpage.
As part of our commitment to better homes, we’ve been working with residents to review and improve our policy and procedures when dealing with damp and mould cases and provide valuable resources.
