City tackles 1,800 cases of mould under new law

More than 1,800 incidents of mould in homes have been dealt with by Hull City Council since a new law was introduced last autumn.

The legislation was introduced after two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from exposure to black mould at his Rochdale home in 2020.

Since the law came into effect on 27 October 2025, Hull City Council has recorded 1,631 reports of "significant" damp and mould, alongside 202 cases classified as critical emergencies.

All incidents were investigated within the 24-hour time frame required by the law, the authority said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request by The Property Buying Company.

Awaab's Law sets strict legal timeframes for social housing landlords in England to investigate and fix damp, mould and emergency hazards.

The council said it met the requirement of making safe homes with "significant" damp and mould within five working days and a target to begin repairs within 12 weeks.

Councillor Paul Drake-Davis, portfolio holder for economic renewal and housing, said: "I am grateful when tenants contact the council swiftly at the first signs of damp and mould, as reporting a problem early is better than waiting until it worsens.

"I'd like to thank council staff for their hard work in ensuring we are meeting commitments under Awaab's Law."

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