Awaab’s Law: Damp & Mould Claims – What Social Housing Tenants Need to Know (2025)

Awaab’s Law requires social landlords in England to investigate significant hazards within 10 working days, provide a written summary within 3 working days, make the home safe within 5 working days, and action emergency hazards within 24 hours. If they can’t make your home safe in time, they must offer suitable temporary accommodation and keep you updated.

What is Awaab’s Law?

Awaab’s Law honours Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in social housing. The law is implemented via the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 and creates enforceable timelines in tenancy agreements for tackling dangerous hazards—starting with damp and mould. It comes into force on 27 October 2025, with further hazards added in phases from 2026 and 2027.

Who it covers: social housing tenants in England (local authority and housing association homes). Private lets aren’t yet covered by Awaab’s Law – Social Housing, but existing duties under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act still apply.

Awaab’s Law: Timelines at a Glance

From 27 October 2025 (Phase 1 — damp & mould and any emergency hazards), your social landlord must:

• Investigate potential significant hazards within 10 working days.
• Provide a written summary within 3 working days of finishing the investigation (what was found, what happens next, timeframes, contact details).
• Make the home safe within 5 working days where a significant hazard is confirmed.
• Begin or take steps to begin further works within 5 working days (and start physical works within 12 weeks if not immediately possible).
• Treat emergency hazards within 24 hours (investigate and make safe in parallel).
• Offer suitable temporary accommodation at the landlord’s expense if they cannot make your home safe in time.
• Keep clear records; there’s a limited defence if they took all reasonable steps but were delayed by factors genuinely beyond their control.

Future phases: In 2026, the law is due to include excess cold/heat, fire/electrical, structural collapse/explosion and falls hazards where they pose a significant risk; in 2027, it’s expected to extend to most remaining HHSRS hazards (apart from overcrowding).

Why damp and mould matter for your health

Damp and mould increase the risk of asthma attacks, allergic reactions, respiratory infections and can seriously affect children, older adults and people with long-term conditions. The UK government’s consolidated guidance for landlords and providers highlights these health risks and sets expectations for proactive responses. Meanwhile, UKHSA-linked research estimates millions live with significant damp/mould, underlining a meaningful burden of respiratory disease in England.

If damp and mould are affecting your well-being, that strengthens both the urgency and the compensation aspect of your claim.

What this means for tenants (and how to use it)

Report issues in writing. Email, app or online portal—keep screenshots and dates. Ask your landlord to log the case as a potential significant hazard (or emergency if there’s an imminent risk) under Awaab’s Law.

Expect clear steps and deadlines. You should receive a written summary within 3 working days after the investigation concludes, with a plan to make safe within 5 working days and to commence further works promptly. If they can’t make it safe by the deadline, you should be offered suitable temporary accommodation.

Keep a paper trail. Record every leak, black patch, damp smell, or condensation issue. Photograph, date-stamp, and track communications and missed appointments. This evidence supports your housing disrepair claim.

Know your escalation routes. If your landlord doesn’t comply, you can use their complaints process, then the Housing Ombudsman, or pursue court action for breach of contract terms implied by the 2025 Regulations. Courts can order repairs and award compensation and costs.

Step-by-step: How to start a damp & mould claim

1. Document the problem: Photos, videos, humidity readings if available, and a diary of symptoms and disruption.
2. Report it formally: Reference Awaab’s Law timelines in your message.
3. Collect medical evidence: GP notes for coughs, wheezing, skin irritation, or worsened asthma.
4. Track expenses: Cleaning, ruined belongings, extra heating, travel to relatives, or temporary accommodation costs.
5. Speak to National Claims: We’ll assess your evidence, outline next steps and connect you with experienced solicitors who understand housing disrepair and Awaab’s Law.
6. We’ll push for urgent works and compensation: Including general damages (pain, suffering, loss of amenity) and special damages (out-of-pocket losses).

What compensation could I receive?

Every case is unique. However, UK courts use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), 17th edition (April 2024) as a starting point for valuing “general damages”. Recent practitioner summaries indicate the following illustrative brackets for respiratory/chest harm often seen in damp and mould cases (your award may be higher or lower depending on medical evidence, duration, impact and prognosis)

Injury/condition (illustrative)	Typical JCG-based bracket*
Severe, permanent asthma with disabling effects	£36,700 – £56,100
Chronic asthma with ongoing inhaler use and activity limits	£22,440 – £36,700
Mild, permanent asthma-like symptoms	£9,080 – £16,380
Short-term aggravation of bronchitis/chest issues	Up to ~£4,500
Inhalation of toxic fumes/smoke (short-to-moderate sequelae)	~£6,500 – £15,370

*Indicative ranges compiled from practitioner commentary and updated calculators referencing the JCG 17th ed. Exact figures depend on diagnosis, severity, duration, age, and wider impact (e.g., sleep disturbance, missed work).

You can also claim special damages such as ruined clothing and furniture, extra heating/electricity, cleaning/dehumidifier costs, travel to relatives, and medical expenses—provided you keep receipts.

We’ll also consider psychological harm (stress, anxiety), especially where damp/mould has affected your family life or your child’s health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Does Awaab’s Law apply if I’m in temporary or supported accommodation?
If you have a tenancy with a registered provider, yes; licence arrangements are generally out of scope. Check your agreement type and ask us if you’re unsure.

Q2. What if the landlord says the damp is my “lifestyle”?
Everyday activities (cooking, bathing, drying clothes) do not count as a breach of contract by the tenant. Landlords must assess hazards case-by-case and act within the law’s timeframes.

Q3. Can the landlord delay because contractors are busy?
They must keep records and show they used all reasonable endeavours; only very limited exceptions apply. Otherwise, you may have grounds to escalate and claim.

Ready to take action?

If your landlord missed the 10-day, 3-day, 5-day or 24-hour duties, or you’ve suffered health problems or loss because of damp and mould, act now. We’ll gather evidence, push for urgent repairs or temporary accommodation, and pursue maximum compensation for you.

Start with National Claims today:

• Free, friendly assessment of your case
• No upfront costs
• We connect you with experienced solicitors for housing disrepair and damp & mould compensation claims

Customers pay up to 25% (incl. VAT) of the amount recovered towards solicitor costs and if you cancel outside your cooling off period, you may be charged a fee.

Don’t wait while your claim window closes. Speak with National Claims today — we’ll connect you with experienced solicitors who understand your case and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.