Lewisham Council criticised after family with five children left in mouldy flat for months
Lewisham Council has come under fire after a family with five children were left living in a two-bedroom flat plagued by damp and mould for more than seven months.
An investigation by the Housing Ombudsman found the council failed to follow its own vulnerable residents policy when handling the issue and did not treat the case with the urgency it required. The report also said the council failed to communicate its repair plans or timescales to the family.
A Lewisham Council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that a dedicated officer has now been assigned to support the family, oversee repairs, and ensure a clear schedule of works until the problems are resolved.
The South London authority was named in a Housing Ombudsman report for “severe maladministration”, published the same week that Awaab’s Law came into force.
Awaab’s Law was introduced following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to severe mould in his family’s Rochdale home. The new law requires social housing landlords to carry out repairs related to damp, mould, and emergencies within strict timeframes.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway said the Lewisham case formed part of a wider pattern of unacceptable delays in addressing damp and mould complaints.
“The events take place over months in all cases. In several cases it becomes years,” he said. “Most involve residents reporting health concerns, including children with severe asthma or fungal infections. Yet often this does not prompt an urgent response from the landlord.”
In Lewisham’s case, the council responded to an initial leak but failed to monitor the situation afterwards, even after other residents in the same block reported similar issues.
The affected family said damp and mould began to appear shortly after, but their complaints went unanswered until they chased the council twice. Although a mould wash was offered, an inspection never took place — and the council only examined the roof.
Poor record-keeping also led to confusion about the cause of the damp, and the family were still living in poor conditions when the Ombudsman investigated.
The Ombudsman has since ordered Lewisham Council to set out a clear timeline for resolving the problems.
In response, a council spokesperson said:
“This case highlights how losing the thread of more complex repairs can lead to frustration and distress for residents living in non-decent homes, despite repeated visits by our staff and contractors.
Since housing services returned to the council in October 2023, we’ve been working hard to improve how we manage information and deliver repairs, particularly around damp and mould.”
They added that the council is taking its responsibilities under Awaab’s Law “extremely seriously” and has introduced new policies and systems to improve repairs and monitoring.
News Shopper, November 2025
