Does Awaab’s Law Apply to Private Landlords?

What is Awaab’s Law?

Awaab’s Law is a set of legal duties requiring landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould within strict timeframes. It is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in a social housing flat in Rochdale. The law was introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and sets out clear deadlines for social landlords to respond to reported hazards.

In practice, once the first phase takes effect, a social landlord must investigate a reported damp or mould hazard within a fixed number of working days, provide the tenant with a written summary of findings, and begin repair work promptly where a hazard is confirmed. The aim is to remove any excuse for delay when a home poses a health risk.

Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords?

No, Awaab’s Law does not currently apply to private landlords. The duties as first drafted cover registered social housing providers in England only, so a private landlord letting a flat or house is not bound by its specific timeframes yet.

That said, this is changing. The government has confirmed its intention to extend Awaab’s Law style duties to the private rented sector through the Renters’ Rights Act, which brings decent-homes standards and hazard-response requirements to private tenancies. Private landlords who ignore damp and mould today are already exposed under existing law, and will face tighter, deadline-driven obligations as the reforms roll out.

What damp and mould rules do private landlords follow now?

Private landlords are already bound by several overlapping duties covering damp and mould, even without Awaab’s Law. These form a real legal framework that tenants and councils can use.

• Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018: a rented home must be fit to live in throughout the tenancy, and serious damp or mould can make it unfit.
• Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS): councils can assess damp and mould as a category one hazard and order remedial action.
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11: landlords must keep the structure and exterior in repair, which covers many leak and penetration issues.
• Renters’ Rights Act: extends decent-homes and hazard-response obligations to private tenancies as its provisions come into force.

The common thread is that a landlord cannot simply blame condensation on the tenant’s lifestyle. If the true cause is a structural defect, a hidden leak or poor ventilation built into the property, responsibility sits with the landlord.

How do I prove the cause of damp in a rented home?

You prove the cause of damp by having the property diagnosed properly, so the source is identified rather than guessed at. Whether you are a landlord protecting your position or a tenant pushing for repairs, evidence settles the argument.

1. Photograph the affected areas clearly, including any staining, black spotting or blistering paint, and note the dates.
2. Record where the problem appears worst and whether it worsens after rain or in cold weather.
3. Check for obvious triggers such as a dripping gutter, a failed seal around a window, or a bathroom with no working extractor fan.
4. Commission a professional Damp, Mould and Water Damage Assessment that maps moisture and traces the true source.
5. Keep the written report, as it becomes the evidence that decides who is responsible for the fix.

The signs alone rarely tell you the cause. Rising damp, penetrating damp, condensation and a concealed leak can all show similar staining, which is why measured diagnosis matters more than a visual guess.

When should I call in a specialist?

Call in a specialist as soon as damp or mould keeps returning, spreads, or becomes a point of dispute between landlord and tenant. Repainting or wiping mould away treats the symptom while the cause continues underneath.

At Damp & Mould Solutions UK, our work begins with full moisture mapping across the affected area, so we understand how far the problem reaches rather than judging it from a single wall. We use thermal imaging alongside non-destructive, non-invasive leak detection, including acoustic and tracer methods, to trace a source before anything is opened up. That means we find where water is coming from without ripping out plaster or flooring on a hunch. Every survey ends with a root-cause diagnosis, agreed before any remedial work is even discussed.

We diagnose the cause: we are not a firm that sells you remedial work you may not need. That distinction protects both landlords and tenants, because the report tells you exactly what the problem is and who should put it right.

We confirm the price on a written quote once we understand the problem. Our Damp, Mould and Water Damage Assessment (what many people call a damp survey) includes full moisture mapping, root-cause diagnosis and a written, insurance-ready report with a photographic evidence appendix, clear findings and prioritised recommendations. Where a leak needs tracing to its exact source, we quote for leak detection separately. To get an initial view, call 020 3051 8478 or send photos via WhatsApp and we will tell you what we see.

If you've got damp, mould, or a leak, you already know it needs sorting.

The longer it sits, the worse it gets. Get in touch and we will agree a date with you. If it is urgent, say so when you call.