The young boy died from the effects of poisoning from mould in his home.
After a narrative conclusion was recorded at Rochdale coroner’s court, lawyers for Awaab’s parents read a statement in which they accused the social housing provider, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), of doing nothing over a number of years to treat the mould problem that killed their son.
“We cannot tell you how many health professionals we have cried in front of and Rochdale borough housing staff we have pleaded to expressing concern … We shouted out as loudly as we could,” they said.
They accused RBH of not caring and said they had no doubt they were treated that way “because we are not from this country and less aware of how the systems in the UK work.
For those who aren't aware, many of the so called housing associations were formed in the noughties by local authorities selling off their housing stock to the staff who originally were responsible for running the housing departments. Because of the rules for taking staff the various jobs had to be advertised. I had an interview for one job in Suffolk Coastal and it was obvious from the start that they were just going through the motions.
Those running these associations are in it for the profits I think and they are further candidates for control being handed back to the local authorities.
I agree, Margitknot. A public education initiative.
There must be a happy medium between the total ventilation of a garden arbour, and the indoor steamy bathroom with no ventilation. However this would help only those householders who have watertight dwellings.
Surely it's not beyond the capability of a housing authority to supply watertight dwellings such as any jobbing builder can erect!
you are right nanna8
You wouldn’t house a dog in a building like that, though. Unbelievably bad. They would have been better off in a caravan park in a a caravan.
I don't people realise how you are spoken to by some people working for local authorities either
Wake up people, this is the divide between the haves and the have nots..
Gove is looking at Awaabs Law and wants it pushed through parliament.
I hope everyone who is suffering will get help.
I would think that the association is obliged to give information about complaints, as is the case with most organisations.
No idea if that's the law, but my local authority provides it, so I assume it must be.
I would certainly advise anyone who is a tenant to visit this page www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/make-a-complaint/outcome-page-help-landlord-isnt-registered/
if they have any problems with their tenancy , landlord or rent.
Apparently some private landlords are voluntarily registered with the Ombudsman, which says a lot about them. If not, tenants can go to their MP and CAB or other places mentioned in the link.
This is probably why many desperate tenants contact the newspapers as well. In those cases the landlord seems to step up quickly, shamed by the telling photographic evidence.
I'm not entirely sure that private landlords come under the Ombudsman, OnwardandUpward. It seems to be for Housing Associations which would have worked (or not) for the case in question but wouldn't work for somebody in private rented accommodation. What a crazy system we have in this country!
I want to make it clear that I do not think any of it is their fault, but unless someone contacts the Housing Ombudsman, there are many bad landlords who will take the rent and do nothing. It's a fact. It shouldn't be, but it is.
Totally corrupt system and it's all about money.
icanhandthemback
OnwardandUpward
But , going to their landlord was not enough or "the right thing" because there are bad landlords who put profit before safety. Many builders who put profit before quality, too.
That's why it's best to go to the Housing Ombudsman at www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/Not everybody knows about the Housing Ombudsman. Are you saying that it is their fault that their child died because they didn't go to the Housing Ombudsman?
No. I am disagreeing that it was the right thing to do in case anyone in a similar situation is reading this.
Yes. It is "the right thing to do", you would think. I do not believe it is their fault they did not know how to fight, I think it's a shame that they had no one to advocate for them. I would not know who to contact in another country if I was a refugee and some people in this country don't know they have to contact the Housing Ombudsman. That's why I included the website, so, hopefully no one else suffers this way.
I started working in the paid part of the Voluntary Sector about 33 years ago and was stunned by the assumptions made by the statutory agencies in tory areas that Not For Profit = Charity and that ANYTHING done by a Housing Association would be better than ANYTHING done by Local Government.
The salary enjoyed by a particular Housing Association chief could be contrasted with that of the head of Council Housing in the same City Council area. The former earned around twice to three times as much when all the goodies were added in and the latter was dealing with at least ten times more property - much of which needed updating.
Sick making.
icanhandthemback
I would think we would have to see how many white people were allocated to those flats before we could take a view. If they were predominantly offered to an ethnic minority, it may well be a bias, consciously or unconsciously.
My point is that this housing should not be offered to anybody, whoever or whatever they are. Basic housing standards should be in place.
gosh, that's actually shocking 
The reports say that the HA admitted that an inspector made assumptions about the family's lifestyle. Apparently, a bucket was seen in the bathroom and it was assumed that the family indulged in ritual bathing and water splashed on the floor. As a result, they were told to paint over the mould and there were no further structural investigations.
I would think we would have to see how many white people were allocated to those flats before we could take a view. If they were predominantly offered to an ethnic minority, it may well be a bias, consciously or unconsciously.
It annoys me that this is seen as a racist issue and staff need training on the matter. FGS no one should have to live in such conditions regardless of race, sex or whatever. What’s happening to basic humanity and basic standards when staff have to be told it’s not alright for black people to suffer this. It’s not alright for anyone. There is no excuse. Housing should be of a certain standard before it is let out at all.
OnwardandUpward
But , going to their landlord was not enough or "the right thing" because there are bad landlords who put profit before safety. Many builders who put profit before quality, too.
That's why it's best to go to the Housing Ombudsman at www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
Not everybody knows about the Housing Ombudsman. Are you saying that it is their fault that their child died because they didn't go to the Housing Ombudsman?
But , going to their landlord was not enough or "the right thing" because there are bad landlords who put profit before safety. Many builders who put profit before quality, too.
That's why it's best to go to the Housing Ombudsman at www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
But this family knew what to do - and they did it. They informed their social landlord, again and again and again.
The fault for this dreadful tragedy, lies with the Housing Association who failed to act on complaints from not just this family, but many others. The chairman of the HA did not consider this a resigning issue, so ended up being sacked.
This family were in what looked like a modern block of flats, and many other occupants of the block had the same problem. This suggest that the problem lay with the building, either, the system used to build it or the quality of the workmanship.
Oh dear, I see.
I hope if anyone is reading this who has a lot of mould and damp in their home that they will find someone to advocate for them. I wouldn't know where to look if I was in their circumstance and we can't change what has happened already- but it would be good if things change for the better for the many people who must also be living in similar conditions.
The father has been in the UK since 2017, so he's probably beyond the stage when advocating is deemed necessary.
Social workers can’t fulfill statutory duties so advocating for refugees is done by volunteers
I would have thought that families who are refugees should have been allocated a social worker who could have advocated for them.
If I was a refugee to another country I would not have the first clue about how to live, or about the way their buildings work, or about how to deal with their climate. If there is also a language barrier, they should have been provided with translators and with information in a language they could understand.
When you have a bathroom with only an extractor fan it's hard to ventilate properly. Some extractors can be automatic when the light goes on, which are annoying at night when you just want a wee. If the extractor was broken then this is totally the fault of the housing association.
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