Coroner's 'lives at risk' warning in wake of tragedy

LUKE Brooks was just 27-yearsold when he died from a respiratory illness, after living in a ‘freezing’, mouldy and privately rented house.

- By HELENA VESTY

His parents believed that the dire conditions he had endured had killed him, in November 2022, but a coroner determined otherwise.

But almost two years on from his death, a report sent in 2023 – that has only recently been published – shows the coroner who led the inquest into Luke’s death wrote to the government after her findings.

Coroner Joanne Kearsley has urged the government to act and change the absence of a private landlord register in England.

Ms Kearsley told the government that the lack of a private landlord could risk more deaths, saying private landlords should be contactable.

Michael Gove, responding at the time as housing secretary, said such a register would be included in The Renters (Reform) Bill, but the bill was not passed ahead of the general election being called.