MP urges Sheffield Council to tackle damp and mould following death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak

An MP has written to Sheffield Council urging it to tackle damp and mould in its housing stock following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak.
Molly Williams
By Molly Williams
Published 25th Nov 2022, 15:02 BST
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Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, called for a full review of council housing after Awaab died due to respiratory complications caused by damp and mould in his Rochdale home.

He said: “This needs to be a wake-up call for all landlords, both private and social. This is not simply about the quality of a property, but quite literally a matter of life and death in some cases. Damp and mould are rampant throughout many homes in the UK, and we must be dealing with the problem head on.

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“I am reassured by the response I have seen from Sheffield Council that they understand like I do the seriousness of this problem. However, we must see action, and I will be pushing this with both my local authority, but also social landlords across the country to ensure they are doing what is required of them to protect the health of their tenants.”

The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak should be a "defining moment" for the housing sector senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said at the conclusion of his inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court. Awaab suffered prolonged exposure to mould in the housing association flat where he lived with parents Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Aminin in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Photo credit: Family handout/PA Wire.The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak should be a "defining moment" for the housing sector senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said at the conclusion of his inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court. Awaab suffered prolonged exposure to mould in the housing association flat where he lived with parents Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Aminin in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Photo credit: Family handout/PA Wire.
The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak should be a "defining moment" for the housing sector senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said at the conclusion of his inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court. Awaab suffered prolonged exposure to mould in the housing association flat where he lived with parents Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Aminin in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Photo credit: Family handout/PA Wire.

Mr Betts said the council indicated it would consider a review and he is pressing government for more resources.

Council housing repairs backlog

The council’s housing repair backlog is still a “horror show”, according to councillors.

The latest figures showed there were 14,038 logged repairs – including leaks and mould – of which 6,193 were overdue.

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Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, has written to Sheffield Council urging it to tackle damp and mould in its housing stock following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak.Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, has written to Sheffield Council urging it to tackle damp and mould in its housing stock following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak.
Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, has written to Sheffield Council urging it to tackle damp and mould in its housing stock following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak.

At this month’s full council meeting, councillor Douglas Johnson, chair of the housing committee, said the availability of suitable contractors, skilled trades people and materials was proving challenging and the backlog of “smaller, less urgent” repairs worsened over recent months.

Related topics:Sheffield CouncilClive BettsDouglas JohnsonRochdale