Coroner to issue report to Government after two-year-old boy dies following mould exposure, as housing provider admits to allowing legal disrepair process “to get in the way”

A coroner is set to raise concerns about mould disrepair with the Government after concluding that the death of a two-year-old boy from a respiratory condition was caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home.

The Housing Ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, had told the court that the law needs to be reinforced to compel landlords to address damp and mould problems, as the issue is not given the same legal standing as gas safety and legionella.

In a statement on the coroner’s finding, the mutual housing society which managed the property, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), apologised, admitting that it had allowed a legal disrepair process to "get in the way of promptly tackling the mould".

HM Senior Coroner Ms Joanne Kearsley heard that Awaab Ishak passed away on 21 December 2020 after developing flu-like symptoms and difficulties breathing in the weeks prior.

The coroner found the cause of death to be 'acute airway Oedema with severe granulomatous tracheobronchitis' and 'Environmental Mould Exposure'.

The inquest heard evidence from a number of experts, medical professionals, and staff at RBH.

A pathologist who carried out the post-mortem, told the court there was evidence of fungus in the boy's blood and lungs, and exposure to fungi was the most plausible explanation for inflammation found in his throat.

The inquest also heard from an expert on moulds and fungi and their effect on health, who examined the family's flat ten days after Ishak died. He told the court that the flat would have been contaminated "for some considerable time".

Concerns had been raised over the flat more than six months before the boy's death when a health visitor sent a letter to RBH on 14 July 2020 supporting a request for the family to move due to damp and mould. The letter highlighted the health issues that the mould could cause him.

Later that same month, members of the RBH repair team visited the property to undertake a disrepair report, concluding that the majority of the mould was caused by "lifestyle and bathing habits" - an assertion which RBH later accepted as "inappropriate" during the inquest.

At the inquest, the landlord accepted that it should have undertaken remedial works, having found the mould in its inspection of the property in July 2020.

It also accepted that it took no remedial work after 14 July 2020 and before Awaab's death on 21 December 2020, despite various RBH teams being contacted and receiving further notifications about the mould from Awaab's family during this time.

The coroner is set to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the Minister for Housing and the Secretary of State for Health, highlighting the concerns raised by the boy's death.

In addition, she will be writing a letter to Rochdale Council and the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) regarding the sharing of information between agencies and health-related issues for the environment.

Kelly Darlington and Alice Wood of the Inquest Team at law firm Farleys, who act for the family, said: "There has been a lot of interest in this case and we hope that this inquest will have a far-reaching effect for those with mould and damp in their properties.

"Richard Blakeway, of the Housing Ombudsman for England, gave evidence that landlords can place too much responsibility on the residents. It has been a difficult process for the family and they were asked personal questions, with what they feel to have racial undertones, about their bathing habits. RBH have now accepted that their conclusion that the majority of the mould was caused by lifestyle and bathing habits, was inappropriate."

RBH Chief Executive Gareth Swarbrick said: "I am truly devastated about Awaab's death and the things we got wrong."

He added: "We didn't recognise the level of risk to a little boy's life from the mould in the family's home. We allowed a legal disrepair process to get in the way of promptly tackling the mould.

"We must make sure this can never happen again. Awaab's death needs to be a wake-up call for everyone in housing, social care and health.

"We will take responsibility for sharing what we have learnt about the impact to health of damp, condensation and mould with the social housing sector and beyond."

Swarbrick said RBH supports the Coroner and Housing Ombudsman's call for the Government's Decent Homes Standard to be strengthened to include damp and mould, and the coroner's decision to write to the Government on this.

"The Coroner recognised the changes we have made to our procedures, IT, communications and training", Swarbrick continued.

"We note the coroner's words that she was impressed with the learning RBH has taken and desire to share with others. As a result, she will not be issuing us with a Prevention of Future Deaths Report."

Adam Carey