Table of Contents
- Awaab Ishak's Tragic Death
- Current Family Struggles
- Housing Issues and Concerns
- Community Voices
- Council's Response
Awaab Ishak's Tragic Death
When Awaab Ishak passed away due to black mould and dampness in his family's flat in 2020, it sparked calls for legal reform.
However, alarmingly, even after Awaab’s Law was enacted, the mould-infested flat that contributed to the two-year-old's death continues to suffer from damp issues. A young family currently residing there with a newborn baby is so concerned for the child's safety that they are compelled to relocate.
Dad Mohammed Nazim Uddin and Mum Sumina Aktar lived with baby Abban Noor Ahmed in the same mouldy flat where two-year-old Awaab Ishak died.
Credit: STEVE ALLEN
Mould and damp cover the walls of the family-of-three’s home.
Credit: STEVE ALLEN
Awaab Ishak tragically lost his life in December 2020 due to a serious respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his home.
Credit: PA
Damp and mould inside Awaab Ishak's home shortly after his death.
Credit: MEN Media
Current Family Struggles
Married couple Mohammed Nazim Uddin, 45, and Sumina Aktar, 31, are deeply worried for their two-month-old son, Abban Noor Ahmed, and have accepted an offer to relocate quickly.
The “It’s A Boy” banners attached to the front door of 196 Illminster on the dilapidated Freehold Estate in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, conceal the fear and tragic history of the first-floor one-bedroom flat.
Awaab tragically lost his life in December 2020 due to a serious respiratory issue stemming from prolonged exposure to black mould in his home.
Awaab’s Law, which mandates councils and housing associations to act swiftly to protect residents from hazardous living conditions, took effect on Monday following advocacy from his family.
However, Mohammed shared with the Sun how he has been struggling with persistent mould growth in his tidy home since moving to the UK and living there for the past five years.
Using only a small, inexpensive £3 dehumidifier placed by the living room window to combat the potentially dangerous spores, Mohammed described how the housing association, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), merely paints over the damage.
During our brief visit to Mohammed’s home, he opened a bedroom cupboard to reveal continuous water leaks, with the odor of damp plaster lingering in the air.
When Abban was born on August 18 this year, the family moved their bed from the bedroom to the living room, as they felt it was safer there.
He pointed out the areas in the living room that had recently been painted and another damaged cupboard.
Mohammed expressed, "When I moved in, I was unaware of the child who lived here previously until years later. My wife joined me a year ago, and soon after, we were expecting a baby.
“We were thrilled when Abban was born, but now we think of Awaab and we are frightened. We cannot stay here. My wife has been distressed and has cried a lot. We must leave.
“We have been relocated quickly to an area that is far away, without a mosque or shops nearby, but we accepted the house because we have no choice. We need to escape this place urgently.”
Mohammed is in the process of clearing their home, stacking belongings at the bottom of the communal stairs while waiting for a taxi to transport them to their new residence across town.
He stated, "We are just taking a taxi. We have no help or support, but we need to go. A visitor advised us to leave.
Rent is £450 a month, but it is not worth that.
Mohammed
“I believe it will be beneficial for us to leave here. Everyone around is suffering. If you hang clothes outside to dry, they get stolen. There are also issues with drugs, as well as urination and vomiting.
“A man died from a drug overdose in a flat on our landing.
