Dr Alex Boote, product and innovation supervisor at ARC Constructing Options, a producer of cavity hearth boundaries and insulation merchandise
The federal government just lately introduced its plan for Part 1 of Awaab’s Regulation, a brand new piece of laws which can come into drive on 27 October 2025. It introduces strict, legally-binding timeframes for social landlords to analyze and resolve hazards in housing, which pose a well being and security threat.
Awaab’s Regulation was launched in response to the loss of life of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, which was brought on by publicity to damp and mold in his household dwelling over an prolonged interval. This tragedy sparked a nationwide outcry for reform inside the housing sector with the purpose of stopping such tragedies from occurring once more.
This new regulation imposes clear deadlines for landlords, relying on the severity of the hazard. In emergency conditions, the place a hazard poses a critical menace to well being, landlords should examine and reply inside 24 hours of it being reported. For much less pressing however nonetheless regarding points, landlords have seven days to start the restore work. If made conscious of a matter which may be a hazard, the social landlord has ten working days to analyze and supply a written abstract of their findings to residents inside three working days of finishing that investigation. The place a big well being or security threat is confirmed, landlords have 5 working days to make the property secure, together with implementing short-term measures if essential, and should then perform any additional repairs in an affordable timeframe. If the house can’t be made secure inside the required timeframe, the owner should present different lodging, at their very own price, till the repairs are accomplished.
Landlords should show they’re figuring out hazards, gathering correct data, equivalent to pictures, humidity readings, and appearing promptly, whereas conserving report of all of it – making a clear path of proof.
That is greater than only a new regulation; it’s an operational change for landlords, a cultural shift for the rental market. Awaab’s Regulation is designed to maneuver the sector away from compliance box-ticking workouts and towards accountability. Nevertheless, this might pose important challenges for housing suppliers, creating time-consuming jobs and extra prices if not addressed appropriately—particularly as budgets are already stretched skinny.
As we head in direction of peak condensation season, this regulation brings a way of urgency to housing suppliers the place delays can not be the norm.
When October arrives, as a housing supplier, it’s possible you’ll face a doubtlessly overwhelming variety of experiences. The problem will probably be not solely to reply inside the authorized timeframes however to additionally diagnose the hazard precisely. For instance, misdiagnosing penetrating damp for condensation can result in improper repairs, worsening circumstances, elevated prices, authorized dangers and distressed tenants.
Conducting well being checks throughout your property portfolio forward of time permits points to be recognized and resolved inside ample lead time. However repairs and retrofits should meet the very best requirements and be fitted proper first time – or it may doubtlessly worsen the problem, creating pointless remediation prices. When retrofitting insulation, consideration should lengthen past the partitions however to the eaves too: the joint between the roof and the wall, which is an space all too typically ignored. To neglect the eaves when bettering the insulation in a house is to extend the thermal bridging and thus seemingly intensify the chance of mould and damp. Extra moisture, and thus doubtlessly mould, will construct up because of the decrease temperatures on the surfaces inside the house. This results in rafter rot, which may weaken the structural integrity of the house, and black mould contained in the dwelling area, which may be detrimental to well being.
Even when installers try to deal with the eaves, they steadily neglect air flow, exacerbating damp and mold issues within the loft area. Efficient eaves insulation and air flow shouldn’t solely scale back warmth loss and thermal bridging but in addition keep important airflow to stop moisture accumulation. Our Retrofit Eaves Insulator is designed to deal with each these points, bettering thermal efficiency whereas making certain correct air flow.
By appearing now, landlords can keep away from the chance of fines, authorized scorching water, and reputational harm. Belief between housing suppliers and the tenants, which may typically be strained, stands to be strengthened by means of the elevated transparency and accountability inspired by Awaab’s Regulation.