Abena Oppong-Asare has called on ministers to introduce stronger protections for private renters without unnecessary delay, warning that dangerous housing conditions continue to expose families to serious health risks.
The Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead and chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee made the intervention on 9 October in response to the Government’s consultation on extending Awaab’s Law.
The proposed regulations would extend legal requirements for addressing serious housing hazards beyond social housing, potentially covering private rented homes and certain types of accommodation occupied under licence.
Oppong-Asare welcomed the consultation but warned that some private tenants continued to live with serious problems including damp, mould, faulty electrics, pest infestations and inadequate heating.
She called for the new protections to be phased in quickly, while acknowledging that smaller landlords could face difficulties finding skilled tradespeople to complete repairs within required timescales.
The committee chair also highlighted the importance of protecting homeless families, care leavers and people living in supported accommodation.
Oppong-Asare warned that existing laws were not always being properly enforced and said councils needed greater capacity to tackle landlords who failed to maintain safe properties.
The consultation will help determine how the new requirements operate and when they should take effect. No final implementation timetable has yet been established.
Her intervention adds parliamentary pressure for the Government to strengthen enforcement while introducing the proposed protections across a wider range of rented accommodation.
