Death from mould should be ‘defining moment’ for housing sector
1 January 2023
This article was first published on the Batchelor’s Solicitors website prior to its merger with Birketts.
A housing association has been criticised by both the Government and a Coroner, following the death of a toddler.
Awaab Ishak died in 2020, just eight days after his second birthday, as a direct result of the prolonged exposure to black mould that he and his family were forced to endure in their rented accommodation.
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) was accused by Awaab’s family of repeatedly ignoring their pleas for remedial action to improve living conditions in their flat.
In a narrative verdict at Rochdale Coroner’s Court, Senior Coroner, Joanne Kearsley said: “Awaab Ishak died as a result of a severe respiratory condition caused due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home environment. Action to treat and prevent the mould was not taken. His respiratory condition led to respiratory arrest.”
She continued: “I’m sure I’m not alone in having thought: 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 tragic death of Awaab will, and should, be a defining moment for the housing sector in terms of increasing knowledge, increasing awareness and a deepening of understanding surrounding the issue of damp and mould.”
MP, Chris Clarkson, accused RBH of acting like “modern day slum lords” and Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, was also highly critical of the housing association’s inaction.
Mr Gove said the toddler’s death was “an unacceptable tragedy” and that “it beggars belief” that the chief executive of the social housing provider was still in office.
Following the inquest, Housing Ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, confirmed he has launched an investigation into further complaints of mould in RBH rented-accommodation and has written to the social housing provider’s Chief Executive, Gareth Swarbrick, asking his team to “review open cases relating to the landlord, in particular damp and mould”.
In 2017, Social housing provider, RBH, was first informed by Awaab’s parents that there was black mould present in both the kitchen and bathroom of their rented flat.
RBH told the family to paint over the mould, which father, Faisal Abdullah did on several occasions. During the inquest, the Coroner said that Abdullah “would not have fully understood to treat the mould with anti-mould treatment/paint”.
Following the verdict, Ms Kearsley publicly supported a call for the Government’s decent homes standard to be strengthened to include damp and mould and said she would be writing a report for the prevention of future deaths and sending it to government ministers.
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The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at January 2023.