Funding and powers needed to tackle mould problem in homes - The Yorkshire Post says

The two-year-old died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by "extensive" mould in a one-bedroom flat where he lived with his parents.

There are many homes across the country that simply are not safe for people to live in and this needs to be remedied quickly and efficiently.

That is why the Government must take on board Tom Riordan’s call for local authorities to be given more money and powers to tackle damp and mould in private homes.

A report showed complaints from council tenants in Leeds about mould and damp had doubled in November, following a coroner’s ruling on the death of Awaab Ishak.

While Leeds City Council has set up a dedicated damp and mould hotline to improve its response times to its own tenants, it has less scope to intervene in the private sector.

As Andrew Carter, leader of the council’s Conservative opposition, says: “I think we need to move at some speed over this. Over the years we’ve heard the excuse over and over again that (mould) is due to lifestyles. Open some windows, and presumably, you freeze to death. It’s not just homes in the council’s care, to be fair. I’m worried greatly about some in the private rented sector.”

Housing is one the main objectives identified as part of the Levelling Up agenda and failure to ensure people are living in safe accommodation would be counter to the ambition of improving housing quality. But crucially we must not allow another young life to be cut short.