Labour vows to crackdown on landlords who leave Yorkshire tenants to languish in mouldy homes

She made the pledge after analysis by the party revealed around a third (30.6 per cent) people privately renting in Yorkshire and the Humber have reported category one hazards, meaning they pose a risk to their health.

Damp and mould, which can cause severe respiratory problems, is one of the 29 hazards that can be included in this category.

Ms Rayner has welcome the government’s plans to ensure social housing providers in England address hazards such as damp and mould more quickly, under new legislation dubbed Awaab’s Law.

It is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould in the one-bedroom flat where he lived with his parents in Rochdale.

But Ms Rayner is also urging the government to extend the legislation and ensure all private landlords are required to fix damp and mould within strict time frames.

According to research from Citizens Advice, around 1.6m children currently live in privately rented homes with damp, mould or excessive cold.

“Under this government, renters in Yorkshire and the Humber are being hit by a triple whammy of spiralling bills, skyrocketing rents and mould-ridden housing,” said Ms Rayner.

“There is no justification whatsoever for letting private landlords off the hook for resolving mould and damp issues in their properties.

“The private rented sector has widespread problems with damp, mould and cold, driven by the poor energy efficiency of privately rented homes.

"It is a no-brainer to extend Awaab’s law to the private rented sector and that is exactly what Labour will do.

“Any good landlord will already be checking their properties regularly and thoroughly for damp issues.

"But I say to those landlords who are failing to provide safe, quality, housing for their tenants, I am putting you on notice.”

She also said Labour “will stand up for tenants” and “do what is necessary to establish a fairer, more secure, and more affordable private rented sector".

A government spokesman said: “Following the tragic and avoidable death of Awaab Ishak, we have made it clear that all landlords must take damp and mould seriously, and they will be held to account if they do not do so.

“We are introducing brand new powers through the Renters Reform Bill to support this, including giving local councils the ability to issue fines of up to £5,000 to landlords who have failed keep their properties free of serious hazards.”

Under the government’s current plan, Awaab’s law would require social landlords to investigate hazards within 14 days, start fixing within a further seven days, and make emergency repairs within 24 hours.

It would also ensure that landlords who fail to act on issues within a certain time frame can be taken to court where they might be ordered to pay compensation for tenants.

A consultation on the proposals was launched last month and it will close on March 5.