Mouldy flat death is an absolute scandal

THE death of that poor little chap from the effects of living in a mouldy Housing Association flat in Rochdale is an absolutely tragic scandal.

I fail to understand how the Association was allowed to let such a property in the first place. Quite rightly, all such properties are subject to numerous safety rules and regulations before being available for letting.

An up to date energy performance certificate, professionally checked electrics... smoke and carbon monoxide monitors adequate insulation etc... all must be in place before an agent will consider taking on the advertisement of a property to let.

I trust that this terrible tragedy will not lead to the usual knee jerk reaction from the government introducing even more draconian rules and regulations for landlords, above those already in place, which will have the inevitable unintended consequence of even more property owners selling up their letting accommodation in exasperation... thereby reducing the availability of such accommodation even more.

The solution is to ensure that the present adequate regulations are strictly adhered to and enforced.

In this case, someone somewhere just didn’t do their job properly... and may we please be spared the empty mantra ‘lessons will be learnt’... as there were strict regulations already in place.

Wendy Mellish

Dorset