The housing ombudsman is expediting three investigations into the landlord of a two-year-old boy who died after suffering prolonged exposure to mould in a housing association flat.
Awaab Ishak, two, died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould in the one-bedroom flat where he lived with his parents, Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Amin, in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) and its chief executive Gareth Swarbrick, who earned £170,000 the same year Awaab died, have come under fire after it emerged the parents repeatedly complained to the landlord about the mould.
Housing ombudsman Richard Blakely said he has been alerted to three “high or medium risk” complaints involving the landlord and has instructed his team “to expedite these investigations”.
In a written letter to Mr Swarbrick, Mr Blakely wrote: “Following the coroner’s verdict on the inquest involving Awaab Ishak, I asked my team to review open cases relating to the landlord, in particular damp and mould.”
Mr Blakely said he has instructed his team to use measures in the Housing Ombudsman Scheme to gather any information needed from RBH, “given my specific concerns about the circumstances of these complaints”.
These include requiring the landlord to allow interviews with staff, provide information from third parties or former staff members and attend meetings with the ombudsman.
Mr Blakely also told Mr Gareth he would be exercising powers to conduct a further investigation in relation to one specific complaint to establish if it shows wider failings within the landlord.
“I would welcome a meeting with you to set out our approach in more detail and respond to any initial questions you or your team may have,” he wrote.
An RBH spokesperson said: “We can confirm receipt of the Housing Ombudsman’s letter and will meet with Mr Blakeway or a member of his team at the earliest opportunity to discuss these three cases.”
