Latest news with #Awaab'sLaw
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Fury at minister's flippant 'get on with it' comment in tense housing grilling
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has been confronted after it emerged homes might not be brought up to a decent standard for another 10 years - despite dozens of children's deaths A housing minister has been confronted after it emerged homes might not be brought up to a decent standard for another 10 years - despite dozens of children's deaths being linked to their living conditions. Matthew Pennycook said the Government had taken "urgent action" to introduce Awaab's Law, which will force social landlords to deal with health hazards like damp and mould. But it was pointed out that an updated 'decent homes standard' may not be enforceable until 2035 at the earliest. Florence Eshalomi, a Labour MP and chair of the Commons' housing committee, hit out at Mr Pennycook after he said the last Labour government - some 15 years ago - also had a 10-year timeline, and suggested they weren't told to "get on with it". She told Mr Pennycook we "cannot compare" now to then, as she said the "situation is getting dire on a daily basis". Appearing at a committee hearing, Mr Pennycook was at first grilled by Labour MP Sarah Smith, who asked him about the slow enforcement of the decent homes standard. She said: "It's been made public that this might not be enforceable until 2035 or 2037. We have had 72 children die due to their living conditions between 2019 and 2024 so why would there be this delay. "Why are we not pushing as quickly as possible to make every landlord responsible for making sure that the homes families are living in in this country, while they await the progress of this building programme, are fit for human habitation?" Mr Pennycook said Labour was committed to "delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation". He said it wasn't "unusual" for the implementation of a new decent homes standard, on which is being consulted, to take time. He added that the last Labour government's decent home programme had a 10-year implementation timeline. The minister said urgent action had been taken to help people living with "acute hazards", by introducing Awaab's law, which subject to parliamentary scrutiny will come into force in October. "And that will require landlords to address significant damp and mould hazards and emergency hazards within fixed periods." He added that "there's no way" you could ask for an updated standard to be implemented within a year. But Ms Smith hit back: "Perhaps not within a year, but to be waiting 10 years seems extreme, given the money that is being made in this sector... Surely there could be greater urgency than 2035." When Mr Pennycook went to repeat his previous point on Awaab's law, chairwoman Ms Eshalomi interjected to ask him whether local authorities would have the capacity to carry out inspections to check landlords were sticking to the law. The housing minister said the law was bringing in a "significant change", with residents able to hold landlords to account by taking legal action. He added: "We're going to raise standards across the board, through an upgraded and modernised decent homes standard. On the timelines, as I said, the previous Labour government's decent homes programme... I don't think anyone at that point in time would have been saying, 'we think you just need to get on with it'." But Ms Eshalomi hit back: "We now have a situation where we have almost two million people on the housing waiting list. We've seen local authorities spend £2.29 billion. I don't need to read these figures to you. "The situation is getting dire on a daily basis. We cannot compare it to when the last Labour government (were in power). We keep saying we're in a housing crisis. There are issues with in temporary accommodation. Unless we do things differently, Minister, we're going to keep spending money as a sticking tape on this." Mr Pennycook said: "We are doing things differently. I think I've evidenced that we are doing things differently." Awaab's Law was first introduced and consulted on by the former Tory government. It is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould at his home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
The Herald Scotland
07-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Damp and mouldy housing means too many people are left in the cold
Damp and mouldy housing is often a consequence of poor energy efficiency, such as inadequate insulation or draught-proofing. This can then cause fuel poverty (paying too much for energy in relation to income), making it a difficult three-pronged problem to tackle. What's important though is understanding how it impacts people and their homes, and how it can be fixed. To get a better sense of how people experienced these problems, we looked at cases reported to us by advisers in Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland over the last couple of years. From this we've produced a short report, Left in the Cold (available on our website) – with real-life examples. These clearly showed the human impacts of poor energy efficiency – from harming people's health to property damage, poverty and even homelessness. One person's experience which really stayed with us while doing this work is Mary's (not her real name). Mary lived in her privately rented home for 21 years but had been disconnected from the gas supply for 15 years. Despite trying to heat her home with electric heaters, her flat had become mouldy. As a result, Mary has had to take prescription medication to treat repeated chest infections. This situation was made more complex because Mary has learning difficulties and struggled to navigate the problems she encountered. It's astonishing how Mary coped in these circumstances. If she hadn't come to her local Citizens Advice Bureau, it doesn't bear imagining what her health would be like now. We know damp and mould can be stubborn problems to resolve, but we also know solutions are out there. We're seeing a better response from social landlords, who are working more closely with tenants to find a solution that works for the tenant. However, social landlords also tend to be restricted by a lack of funding, which is leading to many tenants having to wait a very long time for a resolution. So, like many other organisations, we agree that enough is enough. We want to see stronger enforcement against private landlords who do not address damp and mould. There can be no excuse for renting out unsafe and unhealthy homes. A mix of awareness-raising, training and continuation of Scottish Government grants and loans are also all needed to support all tenures to improve energy efficiency. Awaab's Law is a step in the right direction, but amidst a housing, climate and child poverty emergency, we must and can do better. Aoife Deery is part of the Social Justice team at Citizens Advice Scotland
Scotsman
05-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week to return for second year
The UK's first ever Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week is returning for a second year - promising even more resources, expert insights, and practical solutions to combat one of the most pressing housing and health crises. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Following the overwhelming success of its inaugural year, it will return from October 20-26, continuing its mission to tackle the widespread issue of damp and mould in homes across the UK. This year's campaign comes at a crucial time, as landmark reforms are set to compel landlords to fix dangerous homes or face the full consequences of the law. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Awaab's Law, coming into effect from October, will require social landlords to investigate and remedy damp and mould issues within strict timeframes. Landlords who fail to comply will be held accountable in court, ensuring social tenants have the legal power to demand safe and healthy living conditions. Tony Boyle, Regional Director at Aico The law, a legacy of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died after being exposed to mould in his Rochdale home, is a vital step toward transforming the safety and quality of social housing in the UK. Social housing residents in Scotland will also be given greater protection against damp and mould in their homes through the introduction of Awaab's Law. The Scottish Government intends to introduce amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill that will broaden Ministers' powers to impose timeframes on social landlords to investigate disrepair and start repairs, through regulation, following engagement with the sector. Launched by home life safety specialists Aico, the first-ever Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week was dedicated to ending the scourge of damp and mould, and received widespread backing from MPs, landlords, housing professionals, and lobbying groups - earning recognition at the highest levels, including a commendation from the King. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With an estimated seven million UK households affected by damp and mould, and the issue costing the NHS over £2.5 billion every year, the campaign has become a vital platform for raising awareness and driving action. Last year's campaign saw over 600 participants join expert-led webinars, with media coverage reaching more than three million people across press, radio and TV. It also received the backing of renowned architectural expert Professor Timothy Sharpe from the University of Strathclyde, a member of the government's SAGE advisory group during the COVID-19 pandemic, who specialises in indoor ventilation and transmission, as well as lobbying groups like Healthy Homes Hub and housing groups. As the campaign gears up for its second year, organisers are determined to build on its momentum, with an even greater focus on practical solutions, industry collaboration, and empowering residents with knowledge and resources. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tony Boyle, Regional Director at Aico, said: 'The response to the first Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week was fantastic, with huge engagement from housing associations, tenants and policymakers. 'But that was just the beginning. This year, we're aiming to reach even more people, spark more action, and continue making progress towards healthier homes for all. 'With the introduction of Awaab's Law, there will now be a legal mandate to tackle damp and mould with urgency. We want to ensure landlords, tenants and housing professionals have the resources they need to understand their responsibilities and take meaningful action.' Damp and mould produce allergens, irritants, mould spores, and other toxins that are harmful to health. The NHS spends an estimated £1.4 billion a year on treating illnesses associated with living in cold or damp housing. When wider societal costs such as ongoing healthcare are taken into consideration, the figure leaps to £15.4 billion. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The scale of this issue is enormous, but by working together, we can make a real impact. 'We want to see policy changes, investment in housing standards, and a shift in how damp and mould are tackled at every level,' Tony added. For more information and updates, visit
South Wales Argus
30-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
TPAS Cymru: Tenants demand faster action on housing hazards
A new Tenant Pulse report from TPAS Cymru highlights growing concern among tenants in Wales about issues such as damp, mould, faulty electrics, and poor ventilation. The findings come following the death of Awaab Ishak and the introduction of Awaab's Law in England. David Wilton, chief executive of TPAS Cymru, said: "This report shows that tenants expect clear action and consistent standards when it comes to housing safety. "The message is clear: listen to tenants, act quickly, and communicate clearly." The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on proposed changes to housing standards. In response, TPAS Cymru gathered tenant views on updates to the Welsh Housing Quality Standards. The report reveals that 71 per cent of social housing tenants want all hazards addressed, not just high-risk ones. 83 per cent want consistent rules for all landlords in Wales and believe hazards should be investigated within three days.
Evening Standard
29-05-2025
- General
- Evening Standard
'Simmering anger' over poor social housing conditions could lead to 'disquiet', warns watchdog
"We will clamp down on damp, mould and other hazards in social homes by bringing in Awaab's Law for the social rented sector from October, while we will also introduce a Competence and Conduct standard for the social rented sector to ensure staff have the right skills, knowledge and experience to do their jobs effectively."
