· Crackdown on damp
and mould under new legislation in memory of
Awaab Ishak
· Landlords must
investigate and fix serious problems within strict time
limits
· New powers for
Housing Ombudsman to help landlords improve performance, in
amendments to the Social Housing (Regulation)
Bill.
Social housing landlords will have to investigate and fix damp
and mould in their properties within strict new time limits,
Housing Secretary announced today (Thursday 9
February).
The Government has tabled amendments to the Social Housing
Regulation Bill to introduce ‘Awaab’s Law’, which will require
landlords to fix reported health hazards within specified
timeframes.
The move comes in the wake of the tragic death of two-year-old
Awaab Ishak, caused by the damp and mould in his home, which was
managed by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing. The Government continues
to block funding to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing to build
new homes until it can prove it is a responsible landlord.
The Housing Secretary made the announcement on a visit to
Rochdale today where he met with Awaab’s family and the new Chief
Executive at Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.
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.
The changes come as the government makes amendments to the
Social Housing (Regulation) Bill that will drive up standards
in the sector and hold landlords to account over the service they
provide to their tenants.
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities said:
“The tragic death of Awaab Ishak should never have happened. He
was inexcusably let down and his family repeatedly
ignored. I want to pay tribute to Awaab’s family for their
tireless fight for justice over the last two years.
“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.”
The government has already committed to a rapid review of
existing guidance on the health impacts of damp and mould,
followed by new guidance tailored to the housing sector, to be
published by Summer 2023.
Further powers, announced today, will continue to bolster the
Housing Ombudsman in ensuring landlords learn from past
mistakes. The Ombudsman will be able to instruct landlords to
measure their service against guidance on issues such as damp and
mould, to help drive improvements following complaints from
tenants.
Other amendments tabled today will continue to strengthen the
Bill, including improvements to insolvency arrangements, data
protection and the requirement for written reports after
inspections.
The new proposals for Awaab’s Law will be introduced via
secondary legislation. It follows the Housing
Secretary’s recent announcement of £30
million for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to begin
works on improving the quality of social housing in their
region.
