Putney MP Calls for All Homes to Be Mould Free

Wants law extended to protect private renters from living with damp

Fleur Anderson with Angela Rayner

February 2, 2024

Fleur Anderson has teamed up with Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner to call for the extension of a new law so that it will protect all renters from living in hazardously mouldy homes.

‘Awaab’s Law’, is a law introduced by the Government following the death of two-year old Awaab Ishak from a respiratory condition caused by mould in his home.

When implemented, it would compel social housing providers to act promptly to tackle mould and household hazards but does not currently cover private renters.

The Putney MP claims this loophole is unfair and unsafe for private renters, who make up the majority of people who rent their homes.

According to a 2023 report by Barclays, 54.4% of residents in Putney rent their homes, significantly higher than the national average of 47%. At the time of the 2021 census, around 34% of households in Putney were private renters (around 14,260 households), compared with 30% across London and 20% across England and Wales.

She is bringing a Private Members Bill to Parliament which would give all renters the right to live in mould-free homes.

Ms Anderson said, “I am out on the doorstep in Putney every week and am horrified by the number of families I meet who do not feel safe living in their homes because of mould. It is unbelievable that 1,623,081 children live in homes with damp, mould or cold and I’ve called for a Minister for Mould several times to ask the Government to take this as seriously as they should.

“It simply isn’t right that renters are hit three times over – paying in ill-health, in expensive weekly heating bills, and repairing damage caused by mould. Residents living in social housing with mould should now be protected by Awaab’s Law – but those living in privately rented homes aren’t. This disparity is wrong: all tenants must have the right to live in a mould-free home. The Government needs to extend the law and ensure that no one’s health is endangered by mould in their home ever again.

“I know that the many responsible private landlords will welcome the extension of Awaab’s Law. Good landlords who provide safe, quality housing already check their properties regularly and thoroughly, liaising with their tenants to promptly resolve issues like mould. It is those private landlords who are failing to provide good housing for their tenants who must be compelled by this legislation to fix problems in their properties quickly. We cannot wait for another tragedy to force the Government to act.”

The Private Member’s Bill comes in the wake of a report by think tank Demos produced in 2023 revealing that tackling damp and mould across the UK could save the NHS more than £1 billion. Labour is also urging the Government to back the extension of Awaab’s Law in amendments to the Private Renters Bill, due to be debated in Parliament in February.

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Levelling Up Secretary, said, “Under this Government, renters are being hit by a triple whammy of spiralling bills, skyrocketing rents and mould-ridden housing. 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.”

Ben Twomey, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, said, “Private tenants deserve to be as well protected as social tenants from dangerous damp and mould, which can have serious impacts on our health and wellbeing. Awaab’s Law rightly mandates quick action when reports of damp and mould are made in social homes but must be extended to protect England's 12 million private renters too. That is why Generation Rent is supporting this private members' bill on behalf of renters across the country.

“Unfortunately, private renters are more likely to suffer in homes which contain damp and mould or are poorly insulated, and to live in fuel poverty, than their socially renting counterparts. Landlords must have a duty to act in these circumstances regardless of whether they are renting to private or social tenants, and we welcome this Bill’s attempt to make that happen. We urge the government to support this Bill and protect private renters from the terrible consequences that mould can cause in our homes.”

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed ‘political interest’ in raising standards across ‘all tenures’, but adds that nothing it likely to change until councils are properly resourced to pay for the enforcement of standards.