New rules on addressing damp and mould have come into force. How can housing providers use technology to meet their responsibilities to residents?
Before October 2025, if a family noticed a small patch of damp along a living room wall, they would likely report it to their housing provider and then wait for the repair to be scheduled. Housing staff would then schedule the job alongside other maintenance tasks, which meant the repair could take weeks or even months to start.
This has completely changed with the introduction of Awaab’s Law. The new legislation has strict rules for managing problems such as damp and mould, including a 24-hour deadline for responding to emergencies, inspections to be completed within 10 days and repair work to start no more than three days after that. These ambitious standards are designed to protect residents and keep their homes safe.
What can housing providers do to stay one step ahead and meet the requirements of Awaab’s Law?
Take early action
The best way to meet a 24-hour emergency repair deadline is to know exactly what constitutes a damp and mould risk and which cases need to be dealt with most urgently. Staff need to quickly distinguish between a household that requires some routine maintenance and an emergency, where damp and mould could potentially compromise a resident’s health or safety.
A slow leak behind a cupboard or under a kitchen sink may seem minor for most households, but for elderly or vulnerable residents, it can quickly become a more serious problem. Housing teams can only respond effectively when they have access to accurate, up-to-date information about residents and their homes. Systems that make it easy to spot urgent cases give staff the confidence to prioritise repairs for those most at risk and ensure emergency work is completed within the 24-hour window.
Be ready to respond
Since Awaab’s Law was first announced, residents have become far more aware of the risks of issues such as damp and mould and will rightly report any concerns. Housing providers want to reassure residents that problems will be dealt with promptly. One way they can do this is to give residents the ability to report issues, arrange repairs and track the status of works online.
Online channels give people clarity on what’s happening with their complaint and reduce the volume of inbound calls. This gives housing staff more time to update vulnerable residents or those who may not have regular access to the internet, by phone, email or a visit from their housing officer.
Online reporting tools also capture and timestamp all the critical information housing providers need to fix damp and mould problems, which is essential when deadlines on responding are tight. Behind the scenes, housing staff can see exactly what stage repairs are at, when inspection reports are due and which teams are responsible for carrying out the repairs on time so they can put residents’ minds at ease.
Focus budgets on keeping homes safe
Missed deadlines under Awaab’s Law can lead to compensation payments to residents, while failing to meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) standards can affect a housing provider’s borrowing potential and overall financial health. Fortunately, there are practical ways housing providers can manage these risks to protect both residents and budgets.
Systems such as NEC Housing give staff a clear view of repairs and highlight cases that might fall behind. These help to prevent costs from escalating and reduces the need to bring in extra teams at short notice, which can be expensive.
By keeping repair schedules under control, housing teams can stay ahead of potential problems, ensure emergencies are handled efficiently and prevent small problems from turning into bigger, more expensive ones.
Working together to protect residents
Many housing providers rely on external contractors for maintenance and repairs; this can make meeting 24-hour deadlines more difficult, so clear and timely communications are essential in these situations.
Important details, such as whether there are young children in the household or if a particular case counts as an emergency, can be shared with contractors early. This gives them the chance to reschedule less urgent jobs or source materials from a different supplier to avoid delays.
It also helps to review how updates and new information are communicated, both internally and with external contractors. This, combined with some targeted training on the new legislation and the strategies to address it, will give everyone involved the knowledge they need to keep homes safe and residents protected.
A framework for the future
Awaab’s Law represents a positive step forward for social housing residents and families.
The new legislation gives housing providers a framework against which they can map their systems and processes so they can respond quickly to damp and mould and protect their most vulnerable residents from harm.
Trevor Hampton is the director of housing solutions at NEC Housing.
