By John Elliott MBE, DL

Today marks the beginning of a landmark piece of legislation that could finally end one of Britain’s most persistent housing scandals involving issues around mould and damp, and the misery this causes for thousands of households across the UK.

For decades, too many families have lived in homes that make them sick, with black mould on the walls, condensation streaming down windows and asthma flaring up in children. These aren’t minor maintenance issues; they’re public health emergencies.

Yet the response has too often been patchy, reactive, and short-term.

The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020 exposed the fatal consequences of that neglect. Despite repeated complaints from his parents about damp and mould in their Rochdale flat, nothing was done.

Awaab’s death from a respiratory condition shocked the nation and prompted urgent legal reform.

Now, under Awaab’s Law, social landlords will be legally obliged to fix hazards like damp and mould within........

© LBC