Speaking in his first national newspaper interview since Awaab died, aged two, in December 2020 as a result of untreated mould in their one-bedroom social housing flat in Rochdale, Faisal Abdullah, 31, also called on the government to introduce strict deadlines for landlords to tackle mould in the private rented sector as well as in social housing – an extension of the so-called Awaab’s law, which is due to come into effect for social housing.
“I can’t emphasise enough, for those tenants who find themselves in similar situations, not to waste time,” he said through a translator. “Please, please, please … make sure you knock at the right doors,” he said in an interview in Manchester.
“Even if it means getting out of the accommodation, please do so, because if you’ve got children and it takes longer to find a remedy that will be at the expense of the health of the children or you as an adult.”
Asked if he wished his family had got out, he said: “Absolutely.” Growing up in the arid Sudanese region of Darfur, he was unfamiliar with mould and damp, he said. When Awaab became ill he wasn’t certain whether it was the mould causing it.
Awaab would have turned five next month, but died after living his whole life alongside extensive black mould in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom of the family’s poorly ventilated home on the Freehold estate run by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), a social housing landlord.
Esta historia es de la edición November 17, 2023 de The Guardian.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 17, 2023 de The Guardian.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Bajrami and McCausland to the fore as Rangers seal impressive victory
Rangers made a storming start to their Europa League campaign with a 2-0 win over Malmö in Sweden that should have been even more emphatic. Nedim Bajrami scored his first goal for the Ibrox club in less than a minute and Philippe Clement's side passed up several chances to add a second before the interval.
Thames credit ratings cut to lower levels of junk as default fears grow
Thames Water's debt rating has been slashed to the lower levels of junk by two major credit rating agencies, piling further pressure on the UK's biggest water company, which is rapidly running through cash and fighting to stave off renationalisation.
Austria Fears rise over prospect of far-right election win
After topping the Austrian poll in June's EU elections, the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) seized the moment, calling for the appointment of an EU \"remigration\" commissioner to be tasked with the forced return of migrants and citizens with a migration background to their countries of origin.
'Cold and direct' Fayed's security chief accused of facilitating abuse
It was May 1991 and Mohamed AI Fayed was in a foul mood. \"I told you, no sex with anybody else, no relationship with anybody else,\" he ranted.
Allegations made over tycoon's years at Fulham FC
Sexual assault allegations have been made relating to Mohamed AI Fayed's 16 years of ownership of Fulham Football Club, lawyers representing his accusers have said.
'No sane people are going' Leadership race casts pall over Tory conference
On Tuesday, four candidates will make their pitches to lead the Conservative party from a conference stage in Birmingham. Their immediate challenge after the Tory rout this summer will be to reinvigorate demoralised MPs and members.
Pandemic as deadly as Covid-19 'a certainty', says Whitty
Another pandemic as big as the Covid crisis that killed 7 million people worldwide was \"a certainty\", Prof Sir Chris Whitty warned yesterday, as he said the UK's lack of intensive care capacity for the sickest patients was a \"political choice\".
Naomi Campbell banned as charity trustee for five years
Naomi Campbell has been banned from being a charity trustee after a watchdog investigation uncovered widespread evidence of financial misconduct at the poverty relief charity she founded.
Family haunted by last moments of teenager killed by 12-year-olds
The family of a man killed by the UK's youngest knife murderers have said they are haunted by thoughts of his last moments and \"how scared he must have been\".
London rail stations to be shut for up to eight days over festive period
Some of London's main railway stations will be closed and train services diverted at Christmas time, Network Rail has said.