Ensuring Compliance with Awaab’s Law: What Social Housing Providers, Institutional Investors, and Property Managers Need to Know

In a landmark shift for the housing sector, Awaab’s Law represents one of the most significant reforms in social housing in over a decade. This legislation emerged from a harrowing case that underscored the critical need for more stringent housing standards. For social housing providers, institutional investors, and property managers, understanding and ensuring compliance with Awaab’s Law is essential not only for legal compliance but also for maintaining the highest standards of tenant care so that such tragedies never happen again.

The Tragic Catalyst: Awaab’s Story

Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy, tragically died in December 2020 as a result of exposure to severe damp and mould in his family’s social rented property. Despite repeated concerns raised by his parents about their living conditions, the landlord failed to act and, distressingly, blamed the family for the mould. This tragic case highlighted glaring deficiencies in housing management and prompted the introduction of Awaab’s Law to prevent such tragedies from recurring. This is why the new Awaab’s Law regulations are so crucial.

Addressing the Broader Context of Awaab’s Law

Awaab’s Law comes at a time when the quality of social housing is under scrutiny. The English Housing Survey data from July 2023 highlights that damp and mould affect 177,000 social homes, with a broader range of health and safety hazards impacting around 217,000 homes. The NHS bears a significant burden, with treatment costs amounting to approximately £65 million annually. These statistics underscore the urgency of adhering to Awaab’s Law and improving housing conditions.

At the time of writing, Awaab’s Law only applies to social housing structures. However, there are talks to make Awaab’s Law apply to the private rented sector, with the incumbent Labour government stating in February 2024 that they would consider extending the legislation to apply to private landlords, which is precisely why landlords, social housing providers and property managers alike must pay close attention to this piece of legislation. This potential extension means Awaab’s Law compliance will soon be relevant to all landlords, not just those in social housing.

Awaab’s Law: Key Provisions and Requirements

Compliance with Awaab’s Law means following several crucial requirements for landlords and property managers to ensure that housing conditions meet acceptable standards and protect tenant health:

1. Immediate Reporting and Action: Landlords must provide tenants with clear and accessible ways to report issues related to damp and mould. Upon receiving a report, landlords are required to take swift action to investigate and address these problems. This includes conducting thorough inspections and performing necessary repairs within set timelines.
2. Timely Remediation: The law mandates prompt remediation of reported issues. Delays in addressing damp and mould can lead to significant health risks and legal consequences. Therefore, landlords must ensure that any reported issues are resolved efficiently and effectively.
3. Regular Property Inspections: To proactively identify potential issues before they escalate, landlords are required to conduct regular inspections of their properties. These inspections should focus on identifying signs of damp and mould and ensuring that the property is maintained to high standards.
4. Tenant Education and Communication: Landlords must educate tenants about the importance of maintaining proper living conditions to prevent damp and mould. This includes providing guidance on ventilation, heating, and other factors that affect property condition.

The Impact of Awaab’s Law on Housing Providers and Investors

For social housing providers, institutional investors, and property managers, Awaab’s Law has several significant implications:

1. Enhanced Accountability: Landlords are now more accountable than ever for the condition of their properties, particularly regarding health hazards like damp and mould. This increased accountability requires robust systems and processes to manage and maintain property conditions effectively – as well as how to prevent mould and damp in the first place. This is a core requirement of the Awaab’s Law regulations.
2. Financial Implications: Ensuring compliance with Awaab’s Law may have financial implications. This could include costs related to property maintenance, upgrades, and repairs to meet these new standards. Additionally, non-compliance can result in legal repercussions and financial penalties as tenants can now take court action for negligence.
3. Operational Adjustments: Landlords and property managers need to adjust their operational practices to align with these new requirements, which is something Resisure’s monitoring platform can help with. This includes implementing effective reporting systems, scheduling regular inspections, and ensuring timely responses to tenant concerns before issues escalate
4. Impact on Tenant Relations: Effective management and timely resolution of issues will enhance tenant satisfaction and trust, which are the foundations of long-standing tenancies. Solid, transparent communication and proactive maintenance can improve these relationships and reduce the likelihood of disputes.

Leveraging Technology for Compliance: How Resisure Can Help

To navigate the complexities of Awaab’s Law, technology can play a pivotal role in ensuring compliance and maintaining high standards of tenant care. That’s why we’ve created Resisure – to give landlords, housing associations and property managers the tools they need to spot the signs of damp, mould and disrepair, and then take proactive measures to stop them in their tracks. We call this the power of prevention – here’s how we do it:

1. Real-Time Data and Insights: Resisure’s platform provides real-time data on property conditions, taking readings from each device every 30 minutes and enabling landlords to monitor and manage issues related to damp and mould effectively. This proactive approach helps in identifying potential problems before they become severe. This is vital for Awaab’s Law compliance.
2. Actionable Insights: The Resisure monitoring platform offers actionable insights that guide property managers and landlords on necessary interventions and repairs. The data insights and weekly reports will help you identify the most urgent properties in need of care across your portfolio by analysing home environment trends, helping to prioritise maintenance tasks and allocating resources efficiently. 
3. Documentation and Compliance Tracking: The Resisure monitoring platform aids in maintaining comprehensive records of the performance and environment of each individual property. This documentation is crucial for landlords, property managers and housing associations to clearly demonstrate their compliance with Awaab’s Law.
4. Cost Management: Our valuable insights into key metrics such as temperature, humidity, damp and mould help you optimise your repair schedules, prioritise properties that must be addressed, and manage your time and funds more effectively.

Ensure Compliance With Awaab’s Law With Resisure

Awaab’s Law represents a critical step forward in ensuring the safety and well-being of tenants in social housing. For social housing providers, institutional investors, and property managers, compliance with this legislation is not just a regulatory obligation but a commitment to providing safe, healthy living environments for tenants not just across social housing, but the entire rental market. Don’t delay—get ahead of the Awaab’s Law requirements today.