Copyright manchestereveningnews
When Faisal Abdullah spoke out about the thick black mould in his home that wouldn't go away, he felt he was being ignored . He told his landlord. He told a health visitor. He told a legal firm. He did all he could to try and get the problem resolved. Nothing was done to help Faisal or his family. Then on December 21, 2020, their world was torn apart . Awaab Ishak - their smiley, innocent little boy, who marked his second birthday only eight days earlier - had his life cruelly cut short. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE He suffered a fatal respiratory condition as a result of prolonged exposure to that rancid, toxic mould that had been growing at home. His family had simply been living their lives in a flat with insufficient ventilation. It was a common problem across the estate. Their landlord - a housing association responsible for more than 12,000 properties across Rochdale - only fixed the problem when it was too late. Awaab's family fought their battle alone. What they didn't realise was that many of their neighbours on the same estate were battling the same problem. That was why we fought for Awaab's Law, to make sure no family has to suffer the same way Awaab's did. It's why more than 177,000 of you joined our rallying cry for change - a cry so fierce that politicians from across the political divide simply couldn't ignore it. Today - almost five years since Awaab's death - Awaab's Law comes into force across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Lawmakers in Scotland are working to introduce the legislation there next year. Awaab's Law sets strict timeframes to inspect and repair health hazards in social housing. It also affirms that social landlords should never unfairly try to shift the blame for their own inaction onto their tenants. A council or housing association can no longer act in the same way Rochdale Boroughwide Housing did before Awaab's death. At the Manchester Evening News , we will follow the progress of Awaab's Law across all of Greater Manchester's social housing providers to make sure it is working for residents. We also urge the Labour government to deliver its promise to extend Awaab's Law to the private rented sector, so millions more people across the country can benefit from the same protections. It should never have taken a child to die in 21st century Greater Manchester for change to come. But now that change is here, our councils and housing associations must act. We will be watching to ensure they do. Social housing tenants - including some of our must vulnerable friends, neighbours and relatives - have waited far too long to have their voices heard.
