Hundreds of RBH homes still have damp and mould after Awaab Ishak's death - and new boss expects the number to rise. stetopping reports
Hundreds of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing homes still have damp and mould issues - and the person tasked with turning things around admits that number will grow before it falls. Awaab Ishak died two years ago, eight days on from his second birthday, following prolonged exposure to mould at his home on the Freehold estate.
Housing secretary Michael Gove stripped RBH of £1 million in funding for new homes, while the Housing Ombudsman announced it was launching a fresh investigation into the landlord and Rochdale Council called for its properties to be returned to the local authority. Most recently, the Regulator of Social Housing downgraded RBH after failing to deal with damp and mould affecting hundreds of tenants, and the housing association's entire board announced it would be resigning in the new year.
Her top priority is making sure all RBH's homes are 'safe and secure', with damp and mould repairs a major part of that. In its decision to downgrade RBH to 'G3' - which means a social landlord is not compliant with governance requirements - the RSJ slammed RBH for waiting until August 2022 to inspect the flats on Freehold, following the M.E.N .'s investigation being published, more than 18 months on from Awaab's death.
Work will be continuing throughout Christmas to get through that growing list, though Ms Arrowsmith says RBH workers will also need to deal with other issues that arise in the winter, while there could be a shortage of contractors available as other housing associations also step up their efforts in the aftermath of Awaab's inquest. Meanwhile, 380 properties on Freehold need improved ventilation, with a £1.2 million project underway.
"Will we ever be able to resolve damp and mould? I don't know, but we've got to get better at it and we have to think about what we can do to help. I know people have gone in to see some residents and they don't want vents because it's going to make them cold, so we have to start looking if there's another way we can ventilate that's not going to draw cold air in.
"The findings of the inquest have made everyone stop and say actually this is a real health concern and we can't be just saying it's because of the way people are living," said Ms Arrowsmith. There are factors that make it worse, but people don't choose those factors. 'The way for us to learn' Ms Arrowsmith's second key priority is making sure residents' voices are heard - encouraging tenants to report issues, holding drop-in sessions on RBH estates and encouraging the return of resident groups. She said: "I am so keen on hearing residents' voice, I think that's the way for us to learn.
The death of Awaab appeared to serve as a final straw for the council, which wrote to Mr Gove about the prospect of stripping RBH of its homes, but Ms Arrowsmith is hoping for a fresh start with elected members. A potential stumbling block for the housing association's regeneration plans could be the government's decision not to provide an expected £1 million in funding for new homes, withholding further funding until it is satisfied RBH can look after its current properties.
As of December 20, almost 160,000 people had signed the M.E.N' s petition for Awaab's Law, a campaign which has received the backing of the toddler's family. It would set time limits on inspections for damp and mould in social housing, establish high priority when health hazards are identified, and make sure tenants are given clear information on their rights in the language they are most proficient in.
Awaab's law - sign the petition Awaab Ishak died aged two after living in a damp and poorly ventilated flat led to him suffering heart and lung failure.
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