A change to the law in Awaab Ishak's memory is set to be debated in Parliament next week. The Social Housing Regulation Bill is expected to be discussed in the House of Commons on Wednesday, March 1.
It is due to return to the House of Commons for the report stage, which will give MPs the chance to discuss the amendments recently announced by housing secretary Michael Gove following the Awaab's Law campaign. MPs will debate the Bill before voting on whether to move it on to the next stage in Parliament.
The changes announced by Mr Gove in Rochdale earlier this month would mean social landlords could be taken to court if they fail to inspect and repair issues of damp and mould within set timeframes. Those timeframes will be set following a 12-week consultation period should the Bill be given Royal Assent - the final step in making law in England.
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Clear information will also be provided to tenants on their rights, while the Bill will also give the Regulator of Social Housing powers to carry out Ofsted-style inspections on housing associations. The vote comes three months after the Manchester Evening News began campaigning for Awaab's Law, following the inquest into the two-year-old's death.
Awaab died following prolonged exposure to mould at his family's home, on the Freehold estate. Social landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing knew of the issue for several months before he died, but failed to act.
On a visit to Manchester on Thursday (February 23), Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer hinted that his party's MPs would support the government amendment to get Awaab's Law on the statute books. He said: "Everybody, when we saw that case, was absolutely shocked. Of course we have to support whatever measures necessary to make sure that that doesn't happen again.
"I hark back to my previous life as a lawyer. I saw I don't know how many cases where I was representing people in rented accommodation who were putting up with damp and because we took action, the damp was abated for a bit, but nobody fixed the fundamentals and so we were back with other cases over and over again.
"That's why it has to be part of a mission-driven government to change this. We do support whatever measures necessary."
Speaking to the M.E.N. as he visited Rochdale earlier this month, Mr Gove said: "I want to thank Awaab's family. Nothing can make up for the loss of a child and their grief is unimaginable. But their bravery, their courage, has made a difference.
"As a result of their campaigning, and the M.E.N.' support for them, the law is changing. That means that tenants in social housing will have peace of mind if they are concerned about threats to their health or their family's health, that action will be taken."
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