Implementing Awaab’s Law across the social housing sector

On 27 October 2025, the housing industry reaches a turning point: phase one of Awaab’s Law, precipitated by the tragic yet preventable death of Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who passed away from a preventable mould-related illness, will come into effect.

The law requires social housing landlords in the UK to investigate and fix serious health and safety hazards (such as damp and mould) within strict new time limits.

This new regulation was sorely needed. Modern construction methods have prioritised thermal insulation to reduce emissions – which is important in the UK where residential buildings are responsible for about 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions – however, inadequate attention has been paid to ventilation systems. This has resulted in too many homes trapping moisture and harmful indoor air contaminants, which can lead to illness and death.

Under the law, once a potential damp or mould risk is identified, landlords have 10 working days to investigate and within three days must share a written summary of their findings with residents. Where there is a serious threat to health or safety, landlords are expected to make the home safe within five days of the investigation finishing, with longer-term works following as required.

Emergencies, such as extensive black mould spreading in a property where the tenant shows signs of respiratory illness, require repairs to begin within 24 hours.

If the property cannot be made safe within the timeframes set out by the law, the landlord must provide suitable temporary accommodation.

Poor indoor air quality is linked to a host of health problems, including respiratory diseases, allergies, cardiovascular issues and death, therefore the government’s commitment to enforcing safe indoor air will ensure people are safe in their own homes.

Government estimates suggest approximately 7% of the four million social homes in England are affected by some form of damp problem, and 4% with hazards rated at the most dangerous “category 1” level (the most serious risk to health and safety under the UK’s Housing Health and Safety Rating System). While these percentages may seem small, they translate into hundreds of thousands of households living in unacceptable conditions.

Under the law, once a potential damp or mould risk is identified, landlords have 10 working days to investigate

The housing sector is committed to ensuring every resident lives in a safe and healthy home and stakeholders have been discussing Awaab’s Law at length. This has brought questions about implementation. Currently, there is no structured surveying and reporting system and this lack of standardised collaboration between landlords and industry could hinder meeting the law’s strict timeframes. For example, it is not evident how surveying should be conducted, what fitting solutions will be most appropriate across different property types or how the process will be rolled out in practice.

Moreover, there is uncertainty about roles and responsibilities, particularly whether time-pressured damp and mould assessments will fall to industry specialists rather than social landlords. Another critical question is what constitutes an emergency and how contractors should approach these cases within the mandated timelines.

A practical barrier to meeting deadlines is access. In many cases, difficulty arranging entry to the property can cause delays. Under Awaab’s Law, landlords and contractors will need to be meticulous in documenting every attempt to gain access and allow contractors to undertake work – whether that is phone calls, letters or visits – should their actions later be scrutinised.

The law emphasises ventilation’s role in combating damp and mould, yet there has not been guidance on what the optimal installation of ventilation systems in social housing looks like. Clear guidance and robust communication from the government is vital to enable both landlords and suppliers to scale appropriate damp and mould solutions at the speed Awaab’s Law necessitates.

While Awaab’s Law is a welcome and necessary step, the sector needs more damp- and mould-focused regulation to keep people safe in their homes, especially as more energy-efficient homes are built, as the more insulated a building the more indoor pollutants it traps. It is vital that ventilation is considered in parallel.

The risks of prioritising energy efficiency to the detriment of air quality are currently under enquiry by the government’s public accounts committee regarding what have been deemed as “faulty” historical energy efficiency installations. The enquiry focuses on the government’s ECO4 programme and the Great British Insulation Scheme, which were designed to deliver insulation and other energy-efficiency upgrades in homes. It has highlighted shortcomings in how these schemes have been implemented and in January 2025 the government acknowledged problems such as poor ventilation and cases of missing or improperly installed insulation, which in turn have contributed to damp and mould in affected properties. This is a clear indicator of the need for a continued focus on ventilation in all home efficiency programmes to ensure all current and future homes are protected from harmful indoor air.

Awaab’s Law is still in its early days and only time will tell whether it fully delivers on its ambitions. What is already clear however is poor indoor air quality must be addressed. From today’s vantage point, it is clear that landlords, contractors and the wider industry are taking the challenge seriously, with a strong commitment to raising standards and protecting residents.

Ronnie George, chief executive officer at Volution