Introduction
Mould and damp are the number 1 enemy for homeowners and tenants alike. They can cause such inconveniences, both visually and structurally, that they need to be tackled straight away
In October 2025, Awaab’s Law was passed by parliament, considering the tragic passing of Awaab Isak, who was only 2 years old, after a prolonged exposure to mould and damp at his social housing home in Rochdale.
The law was a part of the amendments made to the Social Housing (Regulation) Act of 2023 (SHRA (2023)) designed to make landlords take swift action within a defined timeframe and investigate and fix serious health risks like damp and mould.
Adhering to Timeframes
After the coroner determined the cause of death, activists demanded changes to the SHRA (2023) that forced landlords to take immediate action, specifically on tackling damp and mould. Landlords now must show evidence of investigation and decision-making. Landlords also must record whether they adhered to the strict timeframes, which are 10 working days for standard investigations and resident request investigations; they also have 3 working days to provide a written summary, and 24 hours for emergency investigations.
Completing the Works
If the landlord finds the need to conduct repairs and maintenance, then they must also organise the works within a defined timeframe. Some include 24 hours for emergency repairs, 5 working days for non-urgent repairs. All works that require 5 working days are to be completed within 12 weeks.
Temporary Accommodation
If, after investigation, it is deemed that the property is not safe to live in, then the landlord is required to organise suitable temporary accommodation for the tenants until the works are complete.
Failure to Comply
If the landlord fails to comply with the SHRA (2023), then the tenant has the right to take them to court. The power gives the tenant the ability to get the landlord to take real action.
Summary
This law is designed to hold landlords accountable to help reduce the risk that mould and damp can cause. Landlords are obliged to meet the specific investigation timeframes depending on the hazard severity (24 hours for high risk and 10 working days for non-urgent), they have 3 working days to provide a written summary of the issue, then they are required to meet the timeframe (24 hours for high risk and 5 working days for non-urgent) to get the corresponding works started. Finally, landlords, for their own protection, must keep records of all communications and actions so they have a defence in the event of a court case.
