It's been 3 years since Awaab died and I don't think things have changed...it's got worse'

Frustrated RBH tenants say they are still dealing with mould in their homes, despite the housing association promising change

- STEPHEN TOPPING & GEORGE LYTHGOE

WHEN a toddler died in a damp Rochdale home, promises were made.

But three years later, people still living in similar properties across the town claim they are dealing with just as much damp and mould inside their houses as they were back then.

Earlier this week, frustrated tenants of Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) filled out the White Lion pub in Rochdale town centre and revealed the everyday problems they have to endure in their homes.

It comes more than three years on from the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died due to exposure to damp and mould in an RBH home.

Bosses at the housing association promised change and said they would work to improve the quality of homes under their management. But, in a packed Rochdale pub, exasperated residents outlined the conditions they are still living in and they say the issues are now worse, not better.

Those gathered in the back room of the White Lion all had similar stories of suffering at the hands of damp conditions in their own homes.

Lisa Smith, who helped to organise the event, spoke about her daughter’s battle to get mould problems in her own RBH home fixed.

She said: “My daughter and my granddaughter moved property in October and it was all freshly painted, but within a couple of weeks things started not looking right. Then she kept an eye on it and then when it came up (the mould), she reported it and reported it.

“She was saying this is really bad, is my baby going to die as well? We ended up having to take her to hospital.

“I did a post on Facebook later on that went viral and then the next thing I know I had the RBH boss on the phone saying they need to do an inspection. They’ve emptied it and done more work than originally planned – so it must have been a right state.