Awaab’s Law (damp and mould)

We remain dedicated to managing and responding to damp, mould and condensation issues to keep our customers safe.

From 27 October 2025, Awaab's Law requires social landlords to fix reported damp, mould and emergency hazards within strict timeframes. The regulations are a direct response to the case of toddler Awaab Ishak, whose tragic death was caused by mould in a social housing flat in 2020.

Awaab’s Law aims to:

• Ensure timely action by social landlords to fix health and safety hazards
• Protect tenants from the risks of living in unsafe homes
• Hold landlords accountable through legal and regulatory mechanisms.

What it means for NCHA

Our dedicated damp, mould and condensation team is responsible for ensuring we comply with the new regulations, including:

• All ‘emergency’ hazards are investigated and made safe within 24 hours
• ‘Significant’ damp and mould hazards are investigated within 10 working days
• If a significant risk is found, the property is made safe and works started within five working days
• Findings are shared with the customer within three working days of the investigation’s completion, advising next steps where appropriate.

We’re already working towards implementing these changes to ensure we’re fully compliant before the law comes into effect.

Further phases of the law will be rolled out from 2026 to cover additional hazards identified under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), such as:

• Excess cold and heat
• Falls
• Structural collapse
• Fire and electrical hazards.

From 2027, the final phase of the law will be implemented to cover all remaining hazards under HHSRS, excluding over-crowding. Read more about Awaab’s Law.

We run regular compulsory training for our teams. This ensures we’re always skilled and prepared to respond correctly to any related issues in line with the timelines outlined by the law.