Social Housing: Awaab’s Law
House of Commons · Written Statements · 13 Jul 2026 · 1 speech · Official Report
Every social housing tenant has the right to live in a safe and decent home, receive services that meet their needs, and have their complaints promptly addressed. Yet far too many still live in social homes that are not well maintained or managed and struggle to secure adequate redress. That is why the Government are acting to drive a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing. Awaab Ishak was just two years old when he died in December 2020 as a result of a severe respiratory condition due to prolonged exposure to mould in the social home his family rented from Rochdale Boroughwide Housing. Awaab’s death was wholly avoidable. His parents raised concerns about their living conditions time and time again, but their landlord failed to take any action to treat the dangerous mould present in their home. In the wake of his untimely death, Awaab’s parents, Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Amin, tenaciously and courageously fought to secure justice, not only for their son but for all of those who live in social housing. I pay tribute to them once again for their passion and persistence. In response to their campaign, new powers were introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 enabling a new legal duty to be placed on social landlords to investigate and address serious hazards within clear and enforceable timeframes. Awaab’s law is vital legislation that empowers social tenants to hold their landlords to account using the full force of...