A report by the Health and Social Care Committee has urgently called on the Government to protect tenants from the harmful health effects of poor-quality housing. The report emphasises the need for immediate steps to update the Decent Homes Standard for social housing tenants and to extend these standards to the private rented sector.
Despite a commitment made over three years ago by the Government to review and extend the Decent Homes Standard to private rentals, there is currently no legal minimum quality standard in place for private sector tenants. The Decent Homes Standard, last updated in 2006, is considered outdated in addressing the current housing challenges.
The committee’s report highlights that individuals in less affluent neighborhoods and lower-income groups are more likely to suffer from life-limiting health conditions and premature death due to poor housing conditions.
Major housing hazards include risks of fire, electrical issues, extreme temperatures, damp, mold, and air pollution. A tragic example cited in the report is the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who passed away from a respiratory condition caused by mold in a housing association property.
The committee stresses the importance of creating “healthy places” to prevent ill-health and alleviate pressure on the NHS, contributing to a sustainable healthcare system for future generations. This report forms part of a larger inquiry into preventing ill-health, with ten different workstreams under examination.
Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, Steve Brine MP, commented on the findings: “Poor quality homes can have a catastrophic impact on the health of those who live in them. The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from a respiratory condition caused by mold in his home should leave Ministers in no doubt that tenants in both the social and private rented sectors deserve greater protection by law.
“The Government has dragged its feet on updating the Decent Homes Standard for the social rented sector and in extending it to cover the private rented sector. We’re calling on the government to set out its timetable for doing so without delay.”
The committee welcomes the Government’s plan to introduce ‘Awaab’s law’ for tenants in the social sector and urges swift action on this. It also stresses the need for similar safeguards in the private rental sector, where risks like damp and mold pose immediate health dangers.
