Damp and mould in a home should never be ignored.
Awaab’s Law has been introduced to ensure that social landlords respond properly and promptly when residents report serious hazards such as damp and mould. It reflects a wider recognition that problems within a property are not simply matters of appearance or comfort — they can have a significant impact on health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Named after Awaab Ishak, whose death brought national attention to the dangers of prolonged exposure to mould in the home, the law is intended to ensure that hazards are taken seriously, investigated properly and dealt with within defined timescales.
Awaab’s Law places clearer duties on social landlords in England to investigate and address serious hazards within their properties.
The legislation is designed to prevent reports of damp, mould and other potentially dangerous housing conditions from being left unresolved.
For housing providers, the principle is straightforward: when a resident reports a serious problem, the issue should be investigated, the cause identified and appropriate action taken.
This means that simply cleaning visible mould or redecorating a wall may not be enough if the underlying problem has not been addressed.
Awaab’s Law currently places specific legal timescales on social landlords in England. However, the government has also legislated to extend Awaab’s Law protections to the private rented sector through the Renters’ Rights Act.
This means private landlords will also be required to deal with serious hazards such as damp and mould within specified timescales once the detailed regulations are introduced.
The precise requirements for private landlords are still being developed, but the direction is clear: landlords across both the social and private rented sectors are increasingly expected to identify hazards quickly, understand their cause and take appropriate remedial action.
Private landlords are already subject to wider duties around property condition, and since June 2026 councils have had additional powers to issue fines of up to £7,000 where landlords fail to address serious hazards such as damp and mould.
Visible mould is often the result of a wider issue within the property.
Possible causes can include:
For this reason, it is important to understand why the mould is forming rather than simply treating the visible surface.
If the underlying cause remains, the problem is likely to return.
A successful solution starts with identifying the cause.
In some properties, the issue may be relatively straightforward, such as poor ventilation or a leaking gutter.
In others, the problem may be connected to the thermal performance of the building itself.
Cold external walls can create low internal surface temperatures. When warm, moisture-laden air reaches those colder surfaces, condensation can form. Persistent condensation can then create the conditions in which mould develops.
There may also be hidden issues within the wall cavity that are impossible to identify from the inside of the room alone.
This is why building fabric and cavity investigations can form an important part of diagnosing persistent damp, mould and cold-room problems.
Correctly installed insulation helps reduce heat loss and can keep internal wall surfaces warmer.
This can help reduce the risk of surface condensation, particularly on external walls.
However, insulation should never automatically be assumed to be either the cause or the solution.
A cavity may be:
Every property is different.
For this reason, insulation should be assessed alongside the condition of the external walls, ventilation, moisture levels and any other potential building defects.
Many damp and cold-room investigations reveal issues that are not visible from either inside or outside the property.
These can include:
A borescope inspection can provide valuable evidence of what is actually happening inside the wall.
This can help prevent unnecessary work and ensure that any remedial solution is based on evidence rather than assumption.
Existing insulation does not automatically need to be removed simply because damp or mould is present.
In many cases, the insulation may be completely unrelated to the problem.
However, extraction may be appropriate where insulation is found to be:
Where extraction is necessary, the cavity should normally be cleared and any underlying building defects addressed before replacement insulation is considered.
Healthy homes rely on several elements working together.
Good insulation is important, but it must operate alongside:
Damp and mould should therefore be considered as a building-wide issue rather than simply an insulation problem.
Awaab’s Law reinforces the importance of investigating the property properly and dealing with the actual cause.
Arrow Energy Solutions works with homeowners, landlords, housing providers and property professionals to investigate insulation and building-fabric issues associated with damp, mould and cold homes.
Our specialist services include:
Our objective is to establish what is happening within the property before recommending remedial work.
Where insulation is part of the problem, we can help identify the appropriate solution.
Where it is not, a proper investigation can help prevent unnecessary extraction or replacement work.
Awaab’s Law has placed greater emphasis on responding quickly and appropriately to serious housing conditions.
But speed should not come at the expense of understanding the problem.
The most effective remedial work begins with proper investigation, clear evidence and an understanding of how the property is performing.
If you are responsible for properties affected by persistent damp, mould or cold walls, Arrow Energy Solutions can provide specialist cavity and insulation investigations to help establish the cause and determine the appropriate next steps.