They Ignored a Mother of Five for Eight Years—Until We Took Action
Eight years of mould.
Her landlord was the council.
Black mould on every wall. Rotting fixtures. Slugs coming through the kitchen. A shower that short-circuited from the damp. Hanan Abdulla reported it again and again. Your Homes Newcastle ignored her for eight years. Then we got involved.
What the Abdulla family lived with
For eight years, Hanan Abdulla and her five children lived in a home that should never have been considered habitable. Black mould spread across the walls. The kitchen counters were rotting and falling apart. Slugs crawled through gaps in the fittings. The damp was so severe it short-circuited the shower. Water pooled on the bathroom floor.
The landlord was Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), the organisation that managed properties on behalf of Newcastle City Council. This was social housing. Publicly managed. Publicly accountable. And completely neglected.
"I’m so happy for what did about my housing problems, today one of the investigator came and checked the bathroom and the kitchen, and they said they would repair the bathroom next Tuesday and Wednesday and to put a new bathroom and kitchen but after Christmas, if it wasn’t for you guys I dont know how long we would have to wait house to get repaired, when they told me they would repair the bathroom next Wednesday I couldn’t believe it, I started to cry. Thank you soo much for your help"- Hanan Abdulla, Food & Solidarity member
The family did everything a good tenant is told to do. They reported the issues. They waited. They reported again. They were told it would be sorted. Eight years passed. Five children grew up in those conditions. Nothing changed. It was clear: YHN would only act if they were forced to.
How we forced their hand
Food & Solidarity stepped in at the end of 2023. We didn't write a polite letter. We delivered a formal written demand directly to YHN's CEO, board members, and senior management: fix the house, compensate Hanan, and investigate eight years of neglect.
They missed our deadline. So we marched on their offices.
"They didn't fix it out of the kindness of their hearts. They fixed it because they knew we wouldn't stop until they did."- Food & Solidarity organiser
This is what direct action achieves. Not politely raising awareness. Not filling in forms and hoping. Pressure. Showing up. Refusing to go away. When YHN saw that their usual response of delay and deflection was not going to work, they had no choice.
"We met with YHN. This meeting was set up as a consequence of our earlier action about a long-term problem of damp and mould in the property of one of our members. YHN outlined the systems and processes that are involved in flagging damp and mould cases. 1) YHN have now set up a dedicated damp and mould team, with its own telephone number, and have increased the number of Surveyors they can deploy in response to issues with damp and mould. 2) They acknowledged that issues with damp have been presenting more frequently in YHN properties, this is partly due to the ageing housing stock and partly because more tenants are living in fuel poverty and are unable to heat their homes, due to increasing utility prices, among other factors. 3) YHN are also lobbying Newcastle City Council to accelerate decisions around asset management, and damp management is a key part of these discussions. We will have further meetings with YHN in order to follow up on this and other matters in the coming weeks."- Food & Solidarity
What this case proves
Social housing tenants are often told their only options are to report, wait, and hope. Hanan's case shows exactly where that leads. Eight years. Five children. An organisation funded by public money, managing public housing, ignoring the most basic duty of care.
The pattern we saw after this victory was significant. In every subsequent case we took on where YHN was the landlord, they responded immediately. They knew that Food & Solidarity members do not accept being ignored, and that there will be consequences if they try.
What social housing tenants are now legally entitled to
- Awaab's Law requires social landlords to investigate mould and damp within 14 days of a report
- Hazardous conditions must begin to be fixed within a further 7 days
- Emergency repairs must be started within 24 hours
- Failure to comply can lead to legal action against the landlord
- You can escalate to the Housing Ombudsman if your landlord fails to act
- You may be entitled to compensation for years of disrepair and health impacts
Awaab's Law was introduced after the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died from prolonged mould exposure in social housing. It should mean that cases like Hanan's become impossible. But laws only work if landlords fear the consequences of breaking them. That is where collective action still matters. Read how we used the same approach to win for private tenants JP and Shamme.
YHN has since been dissolved, but Newcastle City Council still manages thousands of homes with serious disrepair problems. The fight is not over.
Your questions answered
Common questions from council and social housing tenants in Newcastle facing damp, mould, and landlords who won't respond.
What can I do if Your Homes Newcastle or Newcastle City Council won't fix mould?
Report in writing and keep every record. Escalate to the Housing Ombudsman Service if your landlord fails to respond. Under Awaab's Law, social landlords must now investigate mould within 14 days and begin fixing it within a further 7 days. Food & Solidarity can support you - use the form below.
Does Awaab's Law apply to council housing?
Yes. Awaab's Law was introduced specifically for social landlords - councils and housing associations. It legally requires them to investigate damp and mould within 14 days of a report and begin repairs within a further 7 days. Emergency hazards must be addressed within 24 hours. Failure to comply can result in legal action.
What happened to Your Homes Newcastle?
YHN was dissolved in 2024 and housing management returned directly to Newcastle City Council. If you are a council tenant in Newcastle, you should now contact Newcastle City Council's housing repairs team for any disrepair issues. Read our report on what this means for tenants.
Can I claim compensation for years of mould in council housing?
Yes. If a social landlord has failed to fix disrepair over an extended period, you may be entitled to compensation for distress, health impacts, and damaged belongings. This can be pursued through the Housing Ombudsman or the courts. Document everything - photos, written complaints, dates, and any medical impacts.
How does Food & Solidarity help people with council housing problems?
We support members through direct collective action. We help document housing issues, accompany tenants to meetings, write formal demands to landlords and senior managers, and organise public pressure when landlords refuse to act. Hanan's case shows what that can achieve. We stand alongside our members - we do not just point you to a helpline.
The fight for decent housing isn't over.
YHN is gone but Newcastle City Council still manages thousands of homes with serious disrepair problems. Join Food & Solidarity and help us keep the pressure on.
Living with damp or disrepair in council housing?
Fill in the form below and a member of our team will be in touch. We help people in Newcastle fight back against landlords who ignore their legal duties.
