Speculative journalism drives mould into the news again
Luke Brooks died in October 2022. He had mould in his lungs and as the inquest into his death opened in Oldham this week, the print, electronic and broadcast media wound itself up into a frenzy once more.
From what we can gather from court and press reports Luke rented his home from a private landlord. His flat was pretty shabby and affected by problems typical of relatively low cost rental accommodation. The sort of issues such as dilapidation, cleanliness and lack of care which PCA members encounter every day of our working lives.
Facts and fiction...
When the flat was tested for mould months after Lukes death, some was found. It seems however, that the flat had been cleaned and partly decorated between the time of death and the inspection almost six months later. Aspergillus was present in Luke's lungs but the predominant mould detected in the spring of 2023 in the property was a penicillium mould.
The press speculation may have been misleading, but the coroner delivered her findings on Thursday 10th August and confirmed “Whilst the property within which Luke resided was in need of some repairs, neither the disrepairs nor any damp caused or contributed to Luke’s death.”
It won't be the last time that press hysteria and the resulting panic which ripples through the public consciousness fuels journalists further. This affects legislators and politicians who have already demonstrated a willingness to drive new regulation in the housing sector. This in turn pushes landlords to action through the fear of prosecution or the withholding of rents and often the simple desire to do the right thing for tenants.
Looking to the future...
Clearly damp and mould problems are not going away. Fuel costs remain high and meteorologists predict very unsettled weather patterns during an El Niño winter. Add to this public awareness, media interest and new legislation and the level of damp and mould enquiries are only set to soar again this autumn.
Those with the knowledge and experience to investigate and resolve dampness in buildings have never been in greater demand.