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Awaab’s Law

What it is, when did it start, and what it means for damp & mould

If you've not heard of it, Awaab’s Law came into force on 27 October 2025 for the social rented sector in England. It sets legally enforceable timeframes for tackling damp, mould and other emergency hazards in social homes. Further phases extend to additional hazards in 2026, and to the remaining HHSRS hazards (except overcrowding) in 2027.

Why this law exists

Awaab’s Law was created after the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020 due to prolonged exposure to mould.

The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 enabled the Regulations that now impose hard deadlines on social landlords to investigate and make homes safe. Tenants can enforce these obligations in court.


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The new legal timeframes (Phase 1: from 27 Oct 2025)

From 27 October 2025, social landlords must:

  • Emergency hazards (including severe damp & mould that pose an immediate risk):
    Investigate and complete the safety work within 24 hours of becoming aware. “Make safe” action might include mould wash, isolation of the source (e.g., stop a leak), or temporary measures to remove the immediate health risk.

  • Significant damp & mould hazards (serious, but not 24-hour emergencies):

    1. Investigate within 10 working days of becoming aware.

    2. Give a written summary to the resident within 3 working days after the investigation concludes.

    3. Complete relevant safety works and begin (or take steps to begin) further preventative works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. If specialist works can’t start immediately, steps must still be taken within 5 days and the preventative works must begin as soon as reasonably practicable and within 12 weeks at the latest. 

  • If you can’t make the home safe in time:
    The landlord must secure suitable alternative accommodation at their expense until the property is made safe or certain other conditions apply.

  • Scope and responsibility:
    The law applies to hazards arising from defects, disrepair or lack of maintenance in parts of buildings that the social landlord is responsible for. Landlords should not blame “tenant lifestyle” for damp and mould or use it as a reason not to act. 

  • Phasing roadmap:
    Damp, mould and all emergency hazards are covered from 27 Oct 2025; more hazards (e.g., excess cold/heat, falls, structural collapse, fire/electrical, hygiene/food safety) in 2026; and the rest in 2027 (excluding overcrowding). 


What this means in practice (from our damp-proofing perspective)

As a damp-proofing and mould remediation contractor, here’s how we’re helping social landlords hit the new deadlines—and how tenants benefit.

1) 24-hour emergency response pathways

We’ve built rapid-response slots to meet the 24-hour emergency standard. Typical “make safe” actions include:

  • Immediate containment of leaks and penetrating damp.

  • Targeted mould wash and spore-load reduction in sleeping/living areas.

  • Temporary ventilation or dehumidification to stabilise humidity and prevent acute exposure while root-cause works are readied.

2) 10-day investigations that are robust—and defensible

The law demands investigation within 10 working days for significant damp/mould. Our investigation packs document:

  • Moisture diagnostics (capacitance/impedance, carbide, hygrometers/thermo-hygro data loggers).

  • Source tracing (roof fabric, rainwater goods, DPC/DPM breaches, cavity bridges, plumbing/condensation mapping, thermal imaging for cold bridges).

  • Risk assessment referencing occupant vulnerabilities (children, respiratory conditions, pregnancy), because those factors affect whether an issue is an emergency versus significant hazard.

We then issue the written summary within 3 working days of the investigation’s conclusion, so landlords meet the communication duty while tenants know exactly what’s happening next.

3) From “make safe” to “prevent recurrence” inside 5 working days

Under Awaab’s Law, once a significant hazard is confirmed, landlords must complete relevant safety work and start preventative works (or take steps to start) within 5 working days of the investigation concluding—then move to permanent fixes as soon as reasonably practicable (with a 12-week backstop if specialist constraints apply). Our programmes are structured to:

  • Separate immediate safety actions (e.g., mould wash, anti-fungal treatment, temporary ventilation) from

  • Root-cause works (e.g., roof repairs, brick repointing, DPC reinstatement, drainage/ground level corrections, ventilation upgrades/MEV, insulation/thermal bridge remedies, bathroom/kitchen extraction improvements).

4) Clear thresholds for alternative accommodation

Where the home can’t be made safe within the statutory timeframe—e.g., extensive fabric failures or major water ingress—the landlord must provide suitable alternative accommodation. Our surveys flag these cases early so housing teams can plan decants without missing deadlines.

5) Evidence, record-keeping, and litigation readiness

The guidance is explicit: records matter. We maintain time-stamped logs of:

  • First awareness (“Day Zero”), triage categorisation (emergency vs significant), attendance times.

  • Investigation outcomes, photos, moisture readings, and communications issued.

  • Works completed and steps taken to secure specialist labour/materials if lead times push the 5-day window (with the 12-week backstop firmly tracked).
    This documentation helps landlords demonstrate compliance—and gives tenants transparency.


What tenants can expect from their landlord

  • Speed: attendance within 24 hours where there’s an emergency risk; structured investigation within 10 working days otherwise.

  • Clarity: a written summary within 3 working days after investigation, explaining findings, immediate safety actions, and the plan to prevent recurrence.

  • Safety first: if it can’t be made safe in time, alternative accommodation should be arranged and paid for by the landlord.

  • No “lifestyle blame”: day-to-day moisture from cooking, bathing and laundry is not a reason to refuse action. Landlords (and we, as their contractors) must assess and fix building-related causes.


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Conclusion

Awaab’s Law raises the bar- and rightly so. For damp and mould, the key is speed + root-cause remediation + documentation.

We’ve aligned our surveys, emergency call-outs and remedial programmes to the new statutory clock, so social landlords can protect tenants and stay compliant from 27 October 2025 onward.


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