The Government’s report on Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law shows a mixed picture across the social housing sector, saying landlords are beginning to embed new ways of working but are facing challenges around capacity, guidance and delivering long-term solutions.
The Phase 1 review, ‘Test and Learn’, conducted by Verian on behalf of the Ministry of Housing finds that the legal regulation of damp and mould is starting to change behaviours, particularly by increasing focus on serious hazards, strengthening oversight and encouraging improvements to landlords’ processes. However, the research also identified variation in implementation, with some organisations struggling to balance statutory deadlines with the need to properly diagnose and resolve underlying problems.
The report draws a key distinction between progress on responding quickly to hazards, and fixing problems permanently. It states: “Emergency hazards such as gas leaks and floods were often addressed quickly, but damp and mould cases frequently extended over weeks or several months.” It continues: “While many felt existing emergency arrangements aligned relatively well with the 24-hour requirement, damp and mould cases were seen as more difficult to progress from inspection to effective remediation, particularly where works were complex, or specialist input was needed.”
The research also highlighted ongoing resource pressures across the sector. Some landlords reported that responding to Awaab’s Law requirements had affected planned maintenance programmes and longer-term investment priorities: “This transition period was seen as contributing to inconsistency in how quickly and effectively cases could be progressed, particularly for damp and mould, as teams balanced new requirements alongside existing capacity and financial pressures.”
While the report found good levels of ‘high level’ understanding of the new requirements among landlords, it also identified a lack of clarity in detailed areas. It states: “High level understanding of Awaab’s Law is strong, but unclear definitions and reliance on professional judgement complicate consistent operationalisation.”
The report also raises questions about whether current approaches can be sustained if capacity pressures continue in the sector. This will become increasingly important as future phases extend the requirements to a wider range of hazards, including excess heat, excess cold, electrical hazards, fire risks and structural issues. “Landlords reported that preparation for later phases of Awaab’s Law is constrained by uncertainty around definitions, thresholds and delivery expectations.”
The Government said learning from Phase 1 has informed updates to guidance ahead of future phases, with the aim of supporting a more consistent approach across the sector. However, the report concludes that there is a “gap between the intent of Awaab’s Law and the realities of execution.”
To read the full report, click here