BESA Supports Extension of Social Housing Safety Rules

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22 July 2024

The Building Engineering Services Association has welcomed the new government’s pledge to implement Awaab’s Law into the private rental sector. 

This law proposes new legal requirements for social landlords to investigate mould hazards within two weeks, start fixing within a further seven days, and make emergency repairs within 24 hours. Landlords will also have to keep a record of their compliance with the new timescales. The legislation is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died from a respiratory condition in 2020 due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home in Rochdale.

This comes as The Housing Ombudsman produced its latest report on landlords’ responses to leaks and the resulting damp and mould. In one case, they found a resident decanted for nearly two years whilst the landlord failed to deal with a leak and in other cases, residents were forced to chase landlords repeatedly with little to no action being taken, leading to ceilings collapsing or extensive damage to personal belongings.

“The promise to extend the reach of Awaab’s Law is something we called for during the election campaign. It goes to the heart of efforts to tackle a growing health crisis caused by appalling conditions in far too many homes,” said BESA’s CEO David Frise.

“The prevention and eradication of mould and damp continues to be a source of great frustration for our industry,” he added. “We understand the problem, which often comes back to inadequate ventilation, but too often the investment is not forthcoming despite this being such a crucial health issue.”

Picture: a photograph of David Frise. Image Credit: BESA

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 22 July 2024

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