'It's taken a child's death to sort this out - it should never have come to that'

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Awaab Ishak was a typical two-year-old boy. He enjoyed riding his bike and playing with his ball. He was full of joy, innocence and potential. In 2020 that all came to an end.

Awaab’s family had spent much of that year pleading with someone to fix the damp and mould problem in the flat that they rented from Rochdale Boroughwide Housing.

On December 21st of that year Awaab died. His inquest ruled that he suffered breathing difficulties due to mould exposure. The coroner said the landlord should have acted.

Today, five years later a new law will come into force as a direct result of a campaign following the little boy’s death. It’s a legacy that will save lives.

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The campaign for Awaab’