Why ventilation plus new laws are vital in tackling black mould

He is meticulous and in great demand, not least from letting agencies which are crying out for good, reliable tradespeople to fix issues in rental properties.

One of the biggest problems he has noticed on his rounds to fix everything from leaking taps and roofs is damp and black mould, the levels of which are terrifyingly obvious.

When he has suggested to tenants that they should report it to their letting agent, they say they have pointed it out but daren’t keep complaining for fear of losing their rental home for causing “too much fuss”.

It may be illegal and immoral to terminate a tenancy on those grounds but it still happens with frightening regularity and despite the death of Awaab Ishaak, age two,who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by extensive mould in the one-bedroom flat where he lived in Rochdale.

Some hope was offered in The King’s Speech, which revealed that a new Renters’ Rights Bill will ban Section 21 “no-fault” evictions and extend the yet to be enacted Awaab’s Law to cover both social rented housing and the private sector, which will mean there will be strict timescales within which social and private landlords have to respond to hazards, including mould, in homes

The Property Care Association has campaigned for more regulatory action to shield households from the dangers of damp and mould.

That includes ensuring that ventilation systems operate effectively in combating mould caused by excess moisture indoors.

Sarah Garry, Chief Executive of the PCA, says: “There is a great deal of attention paid to factors such as vehicle emissions on air quality, but we want people to think about their homes too.

“We often hear of people’s lives being blighted by the presence of mould and poor indoor air quality in properties.

“Such conditions can exacerbate respiratory illness, affect mental health, diminish comfort and increase the cost of heating. Sadly, there can even be fatal consequences. That is the seriousness of it.”

She adds: “Effective ventilation has a vital part to play in controlling the issue, but there are too many cases where installations are carried out by well-meaning contractors who simply do not have any understanding of ventilation or the various regulations and guidance documents.

“This is coupled with few building control checks or enforcement action taken to ensure ventilation is installed that is fit for purpose."

Research amongst PCA members revealed that they believed fewer than 30 per cent of installations complied with Building Regulations.

“We hope the new Building Safety Act will help. It should put greater emphasis on best practice and require anyone carrying out design, construction and refurbishment work to be competent in their roles."

The PCA recently launched specialist training for installers and building control professionals. For information and support on home ventilation, www.property-care.org/professionals/guidance/condensation/residential-ventilation-group