Jeff Charlton, the founder of Building Forensics and recognised nationwide as the foremost specialist on mould and building-related illness, has urged the government to revisit and revise the newly implemented Awaab’s Law.
Charlton warns that the current legislation is “not fit for purpose” and cautions that, unless it is corrected, the reforms may cause further harm to the very tenants it aims to safeguard.
Awaab’s Law was introduced following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in Rochdale in 2020, who died from a respiratory condition caused by severe mould in his social housing accommodation. Repeated pleas from his parents went unanswered by their landlord, prompting new legislation requiring landlords to handle damp and mould hazards promptly.
Charlton’s dedication to addressing mould-related illness is informed by more than 30 years of professional experience and a deeply personal ordeal. When his daughter was diagnosed with aggressive leukaemia, he discovered that toxic mould in her home had worsened her condition—an experience that drove him to expose the health dangers of indoor environmental contamination.
“I have written this in respect of the mum and dad because if we don’t get this right, and we haven’t, this is going to cause more harm,” said Charlton.
“For the good of the country, I am making this available for free because this needs to be seen and understood. The law is a nonsense. That is why I have written my report, ‘The Failures within Awaab’s Law,’ which examines all the failures that are unfortunately present.
“There were at least 270 flaws identified during the inquest into Awaab’s death, yet these were used to create the law. It is not worth the paper it is written on, and I want to shine a light on this situation,” Charlton explained.
Anyone wishing to review Charlton’s findings can request a free copy of “The Failures within Awaab’s Law” by contacting [email protected].
