A DAMNING verdict on British housing conditions was delivered by a coroner today, after a two-year-old child was found to have died from living in a flat ridden with mould. 

Awaab Ishak’s parents spoke of how for months they desperately sought help with the mould problem in their one-bedroom flat in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, as their child’s breathing became increasingly difficult. 

They complained repeatedly to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), a charitable mutual housing society.

The toddler died at Royal Oldham Hospital from a respiratory condition in December 2020.

Senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said the death should be “a defining moment” for the housing sector.

After ruling that prolonged exposure to the mould on the walls of the family’s housing association flat caused the death, Ms Kearsley said: “I’m sure I’m not alone in having thought: ‘how does this happen? How, in the UK in 2020, does a two-year-old child die from exposure to mould in his home?’

“The tragic death of Awaab will — and should be — a defining moment for the housing sector in terms of increasing knowledge, increasing awareness and a deepening of understanding surrounding the issue of damp and mould.”

She told Awaab’s parents that his death would “make a difference to other people” and that the issue is “not simply a Rochdale problem.”

The inquest into his death ended in Rochdale Coroners Court today.

In her findings, the coroner described Awaab as “an engaging, lively, endearing two-year-old.”

She said Mr Abdullah reported mould developing in the flat to RBH in 2017 and was told to paint over it.

A health visitor also contacted RBH to raise the issue in July 2020 and an inspection that month found mould in the kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom cupboard — all needing treatment.

Ms Kearsley said: “I find as a matter of fact that no action was taken and, from July 2020 until December 2020, Awaab continued to have chronic exposure to harmful mould.

“Awaab Ishak died as a result of a severe respiratory condition caused due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home environment.

“Action to treat and prevent the mould was not taken. His respiratory condition led to respiratory arrest.”

In a statement after the hearing, the youngster’s family said: “We cannot tell you how many health professionals we’ve cried in front of and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing staff we have pleaded to, expressing concern for the conditions ourselves and Awaab have been living in.

“We shouted out as loudly as we could, but despite making all of those efforts, every night we would be coming back to the same problem.”

They said they were left feeling “absolutely worthless” by RBH and alleged they were treated that way because they are not from Britain.

RBH chief executive Gareth Swarbrick said Awaab’s death should be a “wake-up call for everyone in housing, social care and health.”

He said: “We have and will continue to learn hard lessons from this.

“We didn’t recognise the level of risk to a little boy’s health from the mould in the family’s home. We must make sure this can never happen again.”

Raising a point of order in the Commons, Labour MP for Rochdale Sir Tony Lloyd said the coroner’s conclusions “have implications that go way beyond this tragic case.”

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “Clearly this is a tragic case. The Prime Minister’s thoughts are with his family at this extremely difficult time.

“The circumstances in which he died are unacceptable and we will no longer stand for unresponsive landlords failing in their response to tenants.”