When Awaab’s Law comes into practice in October 2025, social landlords will need to prepare to investigate and address damp and mould hazards within strict timescales, as well as repair all emergency hazards within 24 hours. This includes providing clear communication with tenants throughout the process and reporting on Tenant Satisfaction Measures. But will this happen and what do we predict for the industry?
Harry Dodd-Noble, Chief Product Officer at askporter spoke to Vice Chair of Elim Housing Association and Proptech thought provoker, Stewart Davison, about what the housing industry should be doing, what it is currently not doing and what he thinks might be the case come October.
So what are we hearing in the industry and what do we think will happen come October?
“From our side, we are seeing a great deal of uncertainty from social housing providers” starts Harry. “Despite the looming deadline, many providers are still in the planning phase, unsure exactly what will be expected of them in practice. Key decisions around how to identify, prioritise, and respond to damp and mould issues are still being shaped. What are you seeing Stewart?”
Stewart:
“Yes, the sector is experiencing an unprecedented mobilisation of resources around compliance, but I’m concerned we’re still thinking about this with a 20th-century mindset when we need 22nd-century solutions. This “22nd Century” approach represents a fundamental shift from reactive, siloed approaches to proactive, integrated, human-centered technology deployment in social housing. We need a culture change in social housing, with new operational processes and open and transparent discussions at executive and board level.
“The sector as a whole was shocked by the death of Awaab Ishak, and it put a focus back on the need to ensure existing properties are well maintained. You may think that’s common sense, but remember so much focus from central government has been on the need for Registered Providers, to build and build at pace. With all the competing issues providers face daily, the need to ensure a safe, secure and warm home is paramount and must not slip from focus. This refocusing is why so many organisations are putting so much effort into getting ready for the legislation to come into force.
“I also think that come October, there may be an initial flurry of issues getting reported. We have all heard of this being the new ‘PPI’ for certain law firms, but it’s really a bit of the unknown. Until the law comes into force we as a sector are just trying to be as prepared as we can.
“But this is not a short term thing, it’s the new state of how we manage hazards in properties in social housing going forward so we have to recognise it as the new reality.”
What should the industry be doing and where should the focus be?
Stewart starts:
“The sector needs to ensure they have the right tools, training and teams to ensure existing properties are well maintained. I think in response to what happened we need some radical thinking, but that’s easy to say with all the other priorities RP’s have to juggle. I do think though that we probably need to alter our approach to innovation and technology in particular.
“There is so much technology out there that can assist: visualisation tech, IoT, remote guidance and of course AI-automation solutions like askporter. Tech should be there to free up time for our humans to ‘be more human’ – this is where a “22nd Century mindset” needs to be adopted. We need to leapfrog our thinking in terms of tech and social housing. We are a naturally cautious and risk averse sector, however the challenges facing us are so monumental that this is where the radical approaches need to start to be looked at.
“For instance, IoT sensors can detect humidity and temperature patterns that predict mould risk weeks before visible signs appear. Remote guidance technology can also help residents identify and photograph potential issues, getting expert assessment within minutes rather than waiting for inspections.
“AI not only underpins these sorts of technology but can assist in so many areas; from predictive maintenance and scheduling that prevents problems before they occur, to automated resident communication systems that provide support based on property conditions and tenant needs.
“The world is moving so fast in terms of tech and I worry that we could be left behind and that in turn would affect how we can respond to this current moment.
Harry adds,
“Yes I agree, providers need to not treat this as a standalone compliance exercise or bolt-on process. Given that the scope of the law is going to expand to cover a wider range of maintenance issues, it’s essential to start embedding damp and mould management into your broader maintenance strategy now. This will help future-proof your processes and ensure you’re using adaptable strategies and technologies that can evolve with regulatory requirements..
“This will ensure that serious cases are handled with the same urgency and procedural rigour as any other high-risk issue, such as fire safety or structural instability. Lower-risk cases should still be triaged and addressed proportionately, with clear response times, documented investigations, and a transparent communication trail.
“Our customers are already creating full audit trails from the moment a report is raised, including photo and video evidence collection from day one. This enables remote triage and investigation without waiting for an in-person inspection, and helps ensure providers meet response time requirements.”
“Embedding auditability, automation and resident engagement into your core workflows will not only ensure regulatory compliance, but also help build operational resilience, improve resident satisfaction, and reduce long-term costs. Essentially, providers who embed digital-first, accountable systems now will be in a much stronger position to evolve with the law and demonstrate leadership in resident safety and housing quality.”
How can social landlords help themselves?
Stewart says: “For me it’s the culture change in organisations. We need to continue the process of opening up and listening more to residents and tenants, and providers need to keep asking tough questions of themselves. In the past there has been a tendency to keep problems ‘under the radar’ and look to manage them rather than fully addressing the underlying problems, a case of tackling the symptom rather than the cause. As a board member, I want all the issues out in the open, if we all know the scale of the problem we can all do something to address it.”
Why does any of this matter to the industry?
“It’s about people’s lives, social housing is essentially a people first business” says Stewart. “We provide people’s homes and we have a responsibility to ensure those homes are warm, safe and dry. A home is there to nurture and enable people to live and grow. As a board member, I’ve seen how the threat of criminal liability has fundamentally changed boardroom conversations.”
Harry adds: “The consequences of ignoring damp and mould aren’t just regulatory—they’re deeply human and societal. The tragic death of Awaab Ishak exposed how systemic inaction can lead to fatal consequences.
“Beyond the headlines, thousands of households live with the reality of poor housing conditions daily. According to Shelter, more than 1 in 5 renters in England have experienced damp in their homes, and children in poor housing are 25% more likely to suffer severe ill-health or disability. Research from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) estimates that poor housing costs the NHS over £1.4 billion per year, primarily due to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses linked to damp and cold homes.
“Addressing this issue isn’t just about meeting regulatory deadlines. It’s about protecting children’s health, giving families safe, secure homes they can take pride in, and improving life chances. Safe, healthy housing reduces strain on public services, improves educational outcomes, and supports social mobility. This is a moment to deliver change that benefits society as a whole—by creating safer, healthier living conditions and rebuilding trust between residents and landlords.”
Stewart agrees:
“Yes, we’re not just talking about compliance anymore, we’re questioning whether our entire approach to asset management is fit for purpose. I work with and meet professionals in the sector every day where this is their experience, it’s not just words, but it’s why they chose social housing as a career. If we don’t get it right we have tragedies like Grenfell and Awaab Ishak, these should never have happened, it’s everyone’s duty and responsibility to ensure they don’t happen again.”