Awaab’s Law: What Trades Need to Know

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Social housing refers to low-cost rental homes and some low-cost ownership options provided by non-profit social landlords (like local councils or housing associations) to people who cannot afford housing in the open market due to low incomes, vulnerability, or specific needs.

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook underlines: “Awaab’s Law will help to drive a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing, ensuring tenants are treated with fairness and respect.”

Here at Travis Perkins, we can provide the right products for damp and mould problems. We have also pulled together a range of products with guidance from market-leading suppliers. 

With these points in mind, we have set out how tradespeople can help affected landlords and housing providers to comply with this new law.

What is Awaab’s Law?

Awaab’s Law formed a part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act when it was introduced in July 2023, in response to the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in December 2020 caused by prolonged exposure to damp and mould in his social housing flat.

Following a petition made by Awaab Ishak’s parents, Shelter and the Manchester Evening News, Awaab’s Law has become UK legislation and will see all social landlords in England needing to take swift, accountable action against damp and mould hazards.

The requirements to comply with from October 27th 2025 onwards will be as follows:

1. Investigate within 10 working days of a reported hazard.
    

2. Resolve emergency repairs within 24 hours.
    

3. Provide written updates to tenants within 3 working days.
    

4. Offer alternative accommodation where needed.

What can happen if a landlord or housing provider doesn’t comply with Awaab’s Law social housing standards?

It is important that social landlords follow all the requirements and timescales set out in Awaab’s Law.

Non-compliance of this UK legislation in any way once it is in place can see:

• Tenants seeking legal action against a landlord for a breach of their tenancy agreement.
   

• Tenants are able to make formal complaints against a landlord to the Housing Ombudsman.
   

• If a landlord is found in breach of contract, the court can order the repairs to be done.
   

• The landlord could find themselves being ordered to pay compensation to the tenant. 
   

• A landlord could also be ordered by the court to pay part or all of the tenant's legal costs.

Why is damp and mould a risk to people’s health?

If left untreated, damp and mould will produce spores, irritants and allergens. Exposure to these elements have been found to be linked to many serious health conditions, which includes allergic reactions, asthma, chronic lung disease and respiratory conditions. 

Vulnerable groups such as people with underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems, older people and children will be most at risk.

While damp and mould can primarily cause issues with a person’s lungs and airways, the problems can also affect someone’s skin and eyes.

People can also suffer from poor mental health, anxiety and social isolation from being exposed to damp and mould in their homes. This is because they may worry about how the issues could be affecting their health, needing to be around unpleasant living conditions and handling the costs of property and belongings being impacted from the exposure too.

It is for these reasons why damp and mould should never be ignored and action taken as soon as it is seen developing in a property.

What causes damp and mould?

Damp and mould are the results of moisture building up within a property. Moisture can be caused by factors such as leaks and a building’s condition not being to a reasonable standard due to poor ventilation and insulation.

Once damp and mould are present, it can affect all of these aspects inside a property:

• Carpets

• Ceilings

• Clothing

• Curtains

• Floors

• Furniture

• Walls & wallpaper

Ways that tradespeople can help social landlords and housing providers comply with Awaab’s Law guidance

Professional tradespeople are likely to be sought by social landlords as Awaab’s Law takes effect to deal with these three main causes of damp and mould in properties:

1. Condensation

2. Penetrating damp

3. Rising damp

Condensation forms in a property when rooms lose heat, as colder temperatures will see any moisture in the air turning into water droplets. Sometimes, condensation can be reduced by turning up the heating or keeping windows open when it is dry outside.

However, tradespeople may be called in to find ways to improve insulation around a property, as well as to replace windows, fix draughts and to enhance a building’s ventilation.

Meanwhile, water coming through the external walls or roof of a property can see penetrating damp forming. Making repairs to damaged external brickwork, fixing a burst pipe, replacing broken guttering and stopping roofs from leaking can all help to solve this particular issue.

Rising damp is rarer than condensation and penetrating damp, but it should be sorted once spotted as it can cause major structural damage and be expensive to treat in the long-term.

Caused because a building’s damp proof course has deteriorated, bridged or broken down, landlords should never paint over patches of rising damp.

With October 27th 2025 and the introduction of Awaab’s Law getting ever closer, it is certainly in the best interest of tradespeople to educate themselves about this UK legislation. This is because they may see their professional services being sought after more by social landlords who are looking to comply with the new law. 

Keeping damp and mould at bay will be crucial and issues people can no longer ignore or put off sorting.