A petition launched in the memory of Awaab Ishak, the toddler killed by breathing in mould which plagued his family's one-bedroom flat in Rochdale, has topped 100,000 signatures just six days after being launched. It is calling for a new law to prevent any more children dying from damp and mouldy conditions in social housing.
Launched by the Manchester Evening News and housing charity Shelter, Awaab's Law would compel housing associations not to allow anyone else to live in the uninhabitable conditions like the toddler suffered for so long.
You can sign the petition here.
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Coroner Joanne Kearsley ruled two-year-old Awaab's 2020 death was a direct result of prolonged exposure to damp and mould at the flat he lived at on the Freehold housing estate. The inquest heard that despite repeated requests by Awaab's parents action to treat and prevent the mould was not taken by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.
Ms Kearsley said the toddler's should be a 'defining moment' for the housing sector. Today (Tuesday), RBH admitted staff 'made assumptions about lifestyle' relating to Awaab's family and apologised, saying it 'abhors racism in any shape or form'.
Staff who inspected the flat claimed to have seen a 'bucket' in the family's bathroom, wetness on the bathroom floor and a saturated bath panel - and assumed the family were using the 'bucket' to carry out 'ritual bathing'. Awaab's father, however, told the inquest his family took showers and such 'ritual bathing' was not in his family's 'culture'.
The petition reads: "Awaab Ishak died aged just two years old after living in a mouldy and poorly ventilated flat that led to him suffering heart failure. His home was unfit for human habitation but Rochdale Boroughwide Housing consistently ignored the family’s desperate pleas, which ultimately led to Awaab’s death.
"Awaab was an engaging, lively and endearing young boy with his entire life ahead of him. His mother said of him “He was always full of smiles. He liked to joke and was full of life. He used to enjoy playing on his bike. He always wanted to be with us. His absence leaves a huge void.
"Awaab’s death could and should have been prevented. He died at the hands of a housing association unconcerned with his safety. Thousands of people across the UK are forced to live in homes with deadly damp and mould that are left untreated for months and even years, just like Awaab and his family.
"This can’t continue. Join us in demanding justice for Awaab Ishak. We want Awaab’s Law to make sure no other child, or anyone else, dies due to mould in their home."
The law would require landlords to investigate the causes of damp and mould within 14 days of complaints being made and provide tenants with a report on the findings. It would also give social landlords seven days to begin work to repair a property if a medical professional believes there is a risk to a tenant's health.
Awaab's Law will also ensure bids for new social housing properties are treated as a high priority if a medical professional has recommended a tenant moves home after identifying a risk to health at their existing property. It will, too, mandate social landlords to provide all tenants with information on their rights, how to make a complaint and what standards they can expect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, provided in simple English or the language a tenant is most proficient in.
We are also calling for MPs and peers to support The Social Housing Regulation Bill that is currently going through parliament. If approved, it would bring back regulation on consumer standards for social housing.
The petition is also urging for the bill to be strengthened with the use of Ofsted-style inspections at short notice and increased professionalism of housing management to improve the experience of tenants, including those living with damp and mould. Recording her damning conclusion on Tuesday (15 December), Ms Kearsley said: "I'm sure I am not alone in asking how does this happen? How in the UK in 2020 does a two-year-old child die from exposure to mould in his home?
"The evidence from this inquest quite clearly showed that this issue is not simply a Rochdale problem. Nor is damp and mould simply a social housing problem."
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