The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in December 2020 from an acute respiratory condition, caused by exposure to black mould in his Rochdale home, highlighted the urgent need for better housing conditions. In response, government guidance on damp and mould for both social and private sector landlords, as well as Local Authorities, has been updated to address these preventable hazards.

Awaab’s Law and the Renters' Rights Bill

In the Renters’ Rights Bill currently going through Parliament, ‘Awaab’s Law’ and the Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector as they are currently applied to the social sector. But, in the meantime, proactive inspections will still be the best way to catch the greatest number of either negligent or criminal landlords not fulfilling their obligations regarding damp and mould.

Tackling Damp and Mould

Damp and mould are entirely preventable with timely intervention and proper identification of the root cause. New regulations are introducing stricter timelines for action when damp or mould is reported. Education is key—both tenants and landlords need to be aware of how to identify damp and understand its underlying causes. Once identified, prompt action is essential, and continuous monitoring is crucial to ensure the problem is fully resolved. This includes not only removing the mould but also addressing any underlying structural issues to prevent recurrence.

At Home Safe, we’ve seen firsthand the prevalence of damp and mould in rental properties. During the three inspection programmes we carried out for a Local Authority over a period of five years, we found that around a third of properties had damp and mould issues. Through multiple inspections, we tracked not only the removal of mould but also monitored whether or not it returned. More importantly, this frequent programme of inspections of properties, provided the Local Authority with the essential insights needed to take informed action.

Creating Safe Living Environments: How Licensing Schemes Protect Tenants

Local Authorities with licensing schemes play a significant role in inspecting properties and identifying mould and damp issues. Home Safe can partner with councils by delivering multiple inspection programmes, backed by a live digital dashboard available to the Local Authority officers. This dashboard provides officers with real-time information on the number of issues identified through inspections and the improvements that are required, and importantly if the improvements have been carried out. This proactive approach not only reduces the cost for councils and their communities of this particular part of the ‘disease burden’ with which the NHS is faced, but also improves residents’ health outcomes while improving landlord management practices.

Political Momentum for Change

Commenting on the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s statement at the Labour Party conference this weekend on driving up housing standards: “I will clamp down on damp and mouldy homes by bringing in Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector this autumn and we’ll extend it to the private rented sector too.

We will consult and implement a new Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes, to end the scandal of homes being unfit to live in”.

Cllr. Adam Hug (Housing spokesperson at the Local Government Association) said “.... councils need further funding and support to raise standards in the private rented sector. Councils could also do much more if they were given the right tools, such as removing the requirement for Secretary of State approval for larger selective licensing schemes.”