Understanding Awaab’s Law 

If you have an indoor allergy and live in rented accommodation, this important piece of legislation will be relevant to you.

Back to Indoor Allergy Awareness Week

Awaab’s Law – Background 

Awaab’s Law was introduced following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak, a toddler who passed away due to prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s rented home. Professor Malcolm Richardson, an expert on moulds, fungi, and their effects on health, spoke at the inquest after examining Awaab’s home. He stated that the samples he collected revealed a significant presence of fungi known to trigger allergic reactions. Pathologist Dr. Phillip Lumb, who conducted the post-mortem, added that there was an allergic component to the tightening of Awaab’s airways, strongly suggesting that the severe inflammation was caused by exposure to fungi. 

This incident exposed critical flaws in existing legislation to guide and obligate landlords in relation to complaints related to housing conditions and their slow response in addressing health hazards. Subsequently, new legislation was drafted to address these flaws and was passed by parliament in July 2023. It will be effective from December 2024. This pivotal piece of legislation is designed to safeguard tenants’ rights and ensure a safe, healthy living condition is everyone’s right.  It is especially important for people who live with indoor allergies or respiratory conditions to be aware of this legislation and how it serves to protect individuals living with these diseases.

What This Means for Tenants 

The introduction of Awaab’s Law places greater responsibility on landlords to promptly address health hazards, especially issues like damp and mould. Under this law, tenants now have clearer and stronger rights when it comes to demanding timely repairs to ensure their homes are safe to live in. If a tenant reports a health hazard, such as mould, the landlord must respond within a strictly defined timeline and take immediate action to resolve the issue. This law empowers tenants to hold landlords accountable and demand safe living conditions without fear of retaliation. It is more effective as it is now more enforceable because of the time bound nature placed on landlords to address any issues or hazards which compromise the health and safety of tenants. 

Did you know?

  • 160k

    social housing homes

    in the UK have notable damp and mould (GOV UK, 2023).

  • 237k

    children under the age of five

    died due to household air pollution in 2020 (WHO, 2023).

  • 63%

    of people

    living with a mould allergy who play it down to others (Allergy UK, 2023).

A Wellcome Home Housing Guide

Maintaining a safe and comfortable home is essential for your well-being. Our Wellcome Home Housing Guide is specifically designed for renters and residents of council and housing association properties living with a mould allergy, providing you with vital information on how to address common housing issues, such as mould and dampness.

Find out more

Housing issues letter template 

Struggling with mould and damp in your home? Our Housing Complaint Letter Template can help you get the resolution you deserve.

Find out more

Mould allergy advice

Well insulated and airtight homes can impactindoor air quality and ventilation. Coupled with inadequate heating, air humidity in homes can increase and encourage mould growth. This can result in asthma whilst also aggravating other allergic conditions, such as allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema.

Find out more

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