Damp & Mould Remediation

Awaab’s Law is a legal requirement introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, designed to ensure social housing landlords investigate and remedy hazards such as damp and mould within defined statutory timescales.

The legislation is named in memory of Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old child who tragically died after prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing home. His death highlighted the serious risks associated with damp and mould and led to significant changes in the way social housing hazards must be managed and resolved.

Under Awaab’s Law, social housing landlords must investigate reports of significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days of becoming aware of the issue. Following the investigation, residents must receive a written summary of the findings within 3 working days.

If the investigation identifies a serious hazard, landlords are required to commence safety or remedial works within 5 working days. In cases involving an emergency hazard, including severe damp and mould presenting an immediate risk to health or safety, appropriate action must be taken within 24 hours.

Property maintenance providers working on behalf of landlords and housing providers play a critical role in supporting compliance with Awaab’s Law. Axis helps clients meet these obligations through rapid triage, specialist damp and mould inspections, targeted remediation works and digitally enabled evidence capture designed to support audit and reporting requirements.

Our digital workflow provides a clear, traceable record of key compliance activities, including investigation dates, inspection outcomes, reports issued, and the commencement and completion of remedial works.

The legislation also increases the importance of workforce readiness, responsive mobilisation, specialist damp and mould expertise, ventilation and moisture management improvements, and real-time reporting capabilities that enable faster, more transparent service delivery and support effective case management throughout the resolution process.

For social housing landlords, Awaab’s Law establishes clear operational duties, including investigating damp and mould hazards within 10 working days, providing residents with a written update within 3 working days, commencing necessary remedial works within 5 working days, and addressing emergency hazards within 24 hours where there is an immediate risk to health or safety.

The legislation also strengthens residents’ legal protections through tenancy agreements, requiring landlords to embed compliance across operational procedures, reporting systems, repairs delivery and wider asset management arrangements.

To meet these obligations effectively, housing providers are expected to invest in more robust data management, efficient repairs processes, integrated asset intelligence and planned maintenance strategies that deliver sustainable, long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes. Failure to comply may expose organisations to regulatory intervention, legal challenge and significant reputational damage.

At present, Awaab’s Law applies to registered social housing providers in England and is initially focused on the investigation and remediation of damp and mould hazards.

The Government has also signalled its intention to introduce comparable requirements for the private rented sector through the proposed Renters’ Rights Bill, although the detailed scope, implementation arrangements and timescales remain subject to consultation and parliamentary approval.

As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, landlords, property owners and managers across all housing sectors should remain informed of emerging requirements and begin preparing their operational processes, reporting systems and maintenance strategies for future compliance obligations, rather than assuming the legislation will remain limited to social housing alone.

• Rising damp: occurs when moisture from the ground travels upward through porous masonry and wall structures.
• Penetrating damp (rainwater ingress): is caused by water entering the building through defects such as leaking roofs, damaged render, cracked brickwork or defective gutters and rainwater goods. Unlike rising damp, it can affect areas at any level of the property.
• Condensation damp: develops when high internal humidity combines with inadequate ventilation or poor airflow, leading to surface moisture and mould growth on colder parts of the building.

Because each form of damp has distinct causes, symptoms and remedial requirements, accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure effective treatment, avoid unnecessary works and achieve better long-term maintenance and cost outcomes.

Rising damp occurs when moisture from the ground is drawn upward through porous masonry by capillary action. It typically affects the lower sections of walls where a damp-proof course is missing, defective or bridged by external ground levels, render or other building elements.

Common indicators include tide marks on internal walls, salt staining on plaster, flaking paint or wallpaper, and localised timber deterioration around skirting boards and floor junctions.

While it is generally less prevalent than condensation-related damp, rising damp can still occur within older housing stock, where original damp-proof courses may be absent, damaged or no longer performing effectively due to age and deterioration.

Damp and mould problems can arise from a combination of building, environmental and maintenance-related factors, including:

• Building defects, such as failed damp-proof courses, cracked masonry, leaking roofs, damaged render and ineffective drainage systems.
• Poor ventilation, inconsistent heating and elevated indoor humidity, which can create conditions for condensation and mould growth.
• Water ingress and moisture bridging resulting from raised external ground levels, blocked wall cavities or defective waterproofing and rainwater management systems.
• Delayed maintenance and reactive-only repair strategies that address visible symptoms without resolving the underlying source of moisture.
• Unsuitable finishes or impermeable materials that restrict the natural evaporation of moisture from the building fabric and can contribute to persistent damp conditions.

We provide a comprehensive damp and mould remediation service, encompassing specialist mould treatment, fungicidal applications, plaster renewal, timber preservation, damp-proofing systems, waterproofing measures and ventilation improvements.

Our approach is focused on identifying and resolving the underlying causes of damp and mould, using engineered, long-term solutions designed to reduce the likelihood of recurrence rather than relying on temporary remedial measures.

By combining technical expertise with effective remediation delivery, we help landlords, housing providers and asset owners maintain healthier living environments, protect the condition of their properties and support compliance with the requirements of Awaab’s Law across their housing portfolios.

We use integrated digital workflows to strengthen compliance management, improve reporting accuracy and provide greater operational visibility across damp and mould cases. Our approach includes intelligent triage supported by IoT sensor data and vulnerability flagging, mobile applications for on-site evidence capture, moisture readings, geo-stamped imagery, automated reporting and digital work-order management.

This connected, end-to-end workflow gives landlords and housing providers a clear, auditable record of compliance activity, real-time visibility of case progress and improved insight into asset conditions, enabling teams to respond more quickly, manage cases more effectively and deliver a more transparent and accountable remedial service.