Council to invest £569,000 after admitting they are not equipped to meet ‘Awaab’s Law’ response times for damp and mould inspections
A report to Bury council’s cabinet conceded there was no contract in place with the authority for services which will be essential to fulfil its duties under the ‘Awaab’s Law’ legislation, which came into force October 27.
The new legislation is designed to protect renters from hazards in their homes.
It’s known as Awaab’s law, after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy from nearby Rochdale, who died from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to mould in 2020.
From this week, social landlords in England will be forced to fix damp and mould within strict timescales. Hazards like damp and mould must be inspected within 10 working days, and made safe within five, after the inspection.
More serious issues such as gas leaks, broken boilers, or when damp or mould are affecting a tenant’s health, will have to be inspected within 24 hours.
In a report to cabinet, Bury council said currently damp and mould inspection work is currently being carried out by various contractors but not necessarily in line with the response time targets stipulated in Awaab’s Law.
The report said the authority would be at risk of not achieving these targets until an external contract was placed. Next week, council leaders are set to appoint the Bell Group on a three-year contract to deliver reactive mould washes, damp treatment and survey works for those properties suffering damp and mould problems.
This includes the fitting of humidistat fans, DPC works, decoration with thermal paint and thermal insulation works, and the installation of ventilation system which eliminate condensation by introducing fresh, filtered air into the home.
Coun Clare Cummins, cabinet member for housing services, said: “We want our tenants to live in properties which are safe and which they can be proud of.
“Damp and mould inspection and remedial works are currently carried out by various contractors.
“However, it is essential that we have a new contract in place for these works in order to meet the requirements of the new ‘Awaab’s Law’, which came into force this week.
“This is part of our wider programme to improve housing standards across the borough and deliver safe, sustainable homes for the future. “It will also increase the life chances of residents in our most deprived areas.”
The plans are set to be approved by the council’s cabinet when it meets next Wednesday, November 5.
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