Implementation of Awaab's Law

The legislation was introduced as an amendment to the Social Housing Regulation Bill following Awaab Ishak's tragic death in December 2020.

Awaab was just two-years-old when he died as a result of a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his home, a coroner later ruled.

The toddler was living in an ‘inadequately ventilated’ property run by a housing association in Rochdale prior to his death.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Stonewater detailed its work on damp and mould cases. This included the formation of our Dedicated Damp and Mould Taskforce.

We have committed to tackling these issues through engagement with our customers and political leaders.

As a company, we are committed to helping those living in our properties live free from damp and mould, regardless of external factors such as rising living costs.

As a result, Stonewater submitted responses to a consultation on the implementation of Awaab's Law.

This consultation was set up by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Following is a summary of Stonewater's main responses to the consultation:

• We welcomed the government's proposals, but urged it to provide more guidance and clarity on the thresholds for hazards that pose a significant risk to residents.
• We highlighted the importance of housing associations working to a common set of standards to avoid variations in law interpretation.
• In response to a registered provider having 48 hours to submit a written summary, Stonewater also called for the deadline to only apply to threat to life issues.
• We voiced concerns about the practicalities of producing a report in 48 hours for all investigations. We said it could only be achieved if automation and standardisation were used.
• A potential solution we put forward was to link the timescale for non-threat to life matters to the Housing Ombudsman Service’s complaints handling code, which requires a response within 10 days for a stage one complaint.

Patrick Chauvin, Chief Officer Safety, Assets and Sustainability said: "Our fundamental role as a housing provider is to provide affordable, safe and warm homes to those who need them most.

"It is critical that processes are scrutinised and refined to avoid this happening again. As Housing Associations, we must ensure Awaab Ishak’s tragic death was not in vain.

"While we support the proposals for Awaab's Law, we have urged the government to provide more clarity and guidance to ensure consistency across the sector.

"We believe all landlords must work to the same set of standards and avoid different interpretations, particularly in regards to the threshold for hazards."