Awaab’s Law and passive drying in our homes
Lucy Jefferies
In December 2022 2 year-old Awaab Ishak died from prolonged exposure to mould in his home. In July 2023 Awaab’s Law introduced new legal duties for social housing landlords to investigate and fix health hazards within 24 hours of being reported.
While the impact of this new law is yet to be reported it’s important to remember that mould and damp are not just a problem in social housing, a 2020 survey estimated that there are 445,000 homes with mould and damp in the UK with only 116,000 of those being managed by Councils and Housing Associations.
What is never discussed in the media reporting on this issue is the contribution passive drying makes to mould and damp in homes. Passive drying is drying clothes indoors in unventilated areas and one load of washing releases 2 litres of water into the air and that creates mould spores which travel into walls and into peoples’ lungs.
Many people have no choice but to dry clothes indoors during the winter but there are ways of drying which can help mitigate the moisture:
-Always dry clothes in the least used room e.g. the bedroom or bathroom – if possible do not dry clothes in living spaces such as front rooms and kitchens.
-Try to get hold of a dehumidifier and have this on when drying clothes indoors and/or open a window to create some ventilation in the space where you dry.
-When possible use a large dryer in a laundrette – these are expensive but do hold a lot of washing in one machine.
If you live in Brighton you can use our tumble dryers for free at Harriett’s Press in Brighton Open Market. We are open Tuesday-Friday and you can book a slot by contacting Emily email: [email protected] or call/text 07442958207. We realise that better drying techniques or free dryers are just a sticking plaster for people living in damp homes, but we are here to help people through this winter.
If you’re looking for a place to support the grassroots work on housing being carried out in Brighton & Hove then please consider joining ACORN the community union. Check out the great work they are doing ACORN Brighton Boot the Bailiffs! – ACORN || Union for the Community