Warwick University Student, experiencing Mould Infestation In Home

On September 10th Whitney Alexia moved into her privately rented home to start their new academic year as a postgraduate student.

Whitney Alexia after receiving her Undergraduate degree

All was well until she noticed mould in her bathroom. She then contacted the landlord who told her he would come and sort it out himself instead of hiring a mould specialist.

But, ever since then, he has not visited the property to sort the issue out.

We contacted the landlord who would not like to be named and questioned him has an excuse as to why he can’t sort the mould in his tenant's home, he stated, “I’m busy at work” and “I’m currently in my home country visiting family”.

“It has been 10 weeks since I moved in and I'm worried about my health as my course is 10 months long, so I still have quite a while left in this home…

“After recently hearing people have passed away due to mould build up in their home this situation worries me…

“The state of my room is disgusting and if I could cut my tenancy contract short I would but that will just leave me in great debt” Whitney exclaimed.

Students undergoing the same situation as Whitney will be able entitled to some money back.

A toddler named Awaab Ishak died at the age of 2-year-old due to ‘chronic exposure’ to mould in his home based in Manchester.

credit: The Guardian.

An inquest was made on the 4th of November at Rochdale court.

It had been found that his parents had reported the mould in their home before Awaab was born which then resulted in them asking to move homes but unfortunately this did not go to plan.

Awaab was reported to Royal Oldham Hospital where he sadly passed away on the 21st of December 2020.

Following days of mounting pressure from the family of the 2-year-old victim, ministers, and MPs, the head of the social housing landlord who owned the mouldy apartment where Awaab Ishak died has been fired.

Gareth Swarbrick, who on Thursday issued a defiant statement refusing to quit, was fired on Saturday by the board of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.

“The board has taken the decision to remove Gareth Swarbrick from his post as chief executive of RBH with immediate effect,” the landlord said in a statement. “We will now work to appoint an external interim chief executive.”

Tenant activists were getting ready to hold a vigil outside the Rochdale borough council offices at 2 o'clock to call for the dismissal of Swarbrick and to demand that the landlord be charged with corporate manslaughter.

A coroner determined on Tuesday that the infant's death in 2020 was caused by exposure to continuous black mould on the walls of the family's rented home. The coroner also noted that the landlord had consistently neglected to remediate the mould and had blamed it on "family living."

A large majority of renters do not acknowledge the Homes (fitness for human habitation) Act 2018 which was introduced by the government for the well-being of tenants and this allows them to take their landlord to court for compensation if their property is affected by mould, dampness and excess cold.

Responding to Swarbrick’s dismissal, Awaab’s family lawyer, Christian Weaver, said: “The family were deeply saddened that following this inquest, RBH did nothing but express their confidence in … Gareth Swarbrick, despite in the courtroom doing everything to indicate that significant changes would be made.”

He said the fact he was sacked and did not resign “speaks volumes”, and said the family found it “wholly unacceptable” that the board had expressed confidence in him even after the coroner’s ruling.

He added: “Much more needs to be done,” and called for the government to create Awaab’s Law “to make sure no other child, or anyone else, dies due to mould in their home”.

In essence, the rule states that landlords are no longer permitted to allow their homes to deteriorate over time. The problems for which they are currently being held accountable are dampness and mould, excess cold, excess heat, asbestos and manufactured metal fibres, biocides (chemicals that treat mould), carbon monoxide, lead and many more…

If your landlord does not make any effort to take care of these problems, you will be entitled to compensation.