Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), the housing association that failed to treat hazardous mould leading to the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, is to be stripped of new government funding.
Housing secretary Michael Gove confirmed the provider will not receive its expected £1m funding from the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) or receive any new AHP contracts for new homes – that is, until the Regulator of Social Housing has concluded its investigation and can prove it is a responsible landlord.
The government says it will continue to monitor housing standards of RBH tenancies closely, working with the regulator and Ombudsman, to ensure that tenants have appropriate housing.
The Housing secretary will also block any housing provider that breaches the regulator’s consumer standards from new AHP funding until they make improvements.
Further, Gove is considering stripping social landlords of existing AHP funding, unless construction has already started on site.
The move comes after Gove wrote to all councils and housing associations saying they must raise the bar dramatically on standards, demanding urgent action where people complain about damp and mould.
The government has also awarded a share of £14m for seven areas with high numbers of poor privately rented homes to crack down on rogue landlords and test new approaches to driving up standards.
‘Let this be a warning’
Housing Secretary Michael Gove said: “RBH failed its tenants so it will not receive a penny of additional taxpayers’ money for new housing until it gets its act together and does right by tenants.
“Let this be a warning to other housing providers who are ignoring complaints and failing in their obligations to tenants. We will not hesitate to act.
“Everyone deserves the right to live in safe, decent home and this government will always act to protect tenants.”
The Regulator of Social Housing has demanded evidence from all housing association and local authority landlords this week, showing they are identifying and dealing with damp and mould issues in their homes.
The regulator will take action where standards are not being met.
To make sure tenants know their rights and can hold housing providers to account, the government is also launching a £1m public information campaign early next year.
Image credit: Ian Davidson Photography/Shutterstock
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