Homes & standards · 30 July 2026 · 7 min read

Awaab's Law: the damp and mould clock

Fixed deadlines for investigating and fixing damp, mould and other serious hazards — and exactly what evidence proves you met them.

By RentDocs editorial team · Last reviewed 30 July 2026

Key takeaways

The clock starts the moment a tenant reports the problem
Investigation and written findings are separate duties from the repair
Significant and imminent hazards carry a much shorter deadline
Alternative accommodation may be required if you cannot make the home safe
Tenant lifestyle is not a defence to a ventilation or fabric defect

Overview

Awaab's Law sets legally binding timescales for responding to damp, mould and other serious health hazards. It began in social housing and extends into the private rented sector under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The obligation is not simply to fix the problem — it is to investigate, communicate and remedy within defined windows, and to be able to prove you did.

Why it matters

Damp and mould complaints are the single most common source of disrepair claims and council enforcement. Under a timescale-based duty, the date you were told matters as much as the work you did. A landlord who fixed a problem promptly but cannot show when they were notified is in a weaker position than one who logged everything and took slightly longer.

Common mistakes

Handling reports by phone with no written trail.
Treating recurring mould as a cleaning issue rather than a ventilation defect.
Missing the written-findings step even though the repair was done.
No post-works inspection to show the hazard did not return.

Practical guidance

Route every tenant report into one dated, timestamped log.
Photograph affected rooms at first inspection and after works.
Confirm findings and the works plan to the tenant in writing every time.
Keep contractor invoices and job sheets attached to the property record.
Diarise a follow-up inspection 4-6 weeks after remedial works.

The clock starts when you are told

Any report — a text, an email, a phone call, a comment during an inspection — starts the clock. That is why every inbound message needs to land somewhere dated and searchable rather than in a personal phone. Log the date, the channel, the exact words used and the rooms affected.

Investigate, then write to the tenant

You must investigate within a short fixed window and then confirm the findings to the tenant in writing, including what you found, what you will do and when. A written summary sent the same week is worth more later than a verbal reassurance at the door.

Remedy — and emergency remedy

Works to make the property safe run to a second, tighter deadline, with a much shorter window where the hazard poses a significant and imminent risk. If the property cannot be made safe in time, you may need to offer suitable alternative accommodation. Plan for that possibility before it arrives.

Condensation is not a defence

"It is the tenant's lifestyle" is not an answer under this regime. Ventilation, heating cost and fabric performance are landlord-side factors. Where tenant behaviour genuinely contributes, deal with it by providing adequate extraction and written guidance — and record that you did.