It’s back. The season of soggy windowsills, black-speckled corners and tenants sending photos of “mould growing behind the wardrobe”. Every agent knows the feeling — damp and mould complaints surge the moment the heating goes on. But this year, there’s a chill in the air for a different reason. Councils are now approaching these cases as if Awaab’s Law already applies to the private rented sector.
The irony, of course, is bitter. Awaab’s Law was created after tragedy in social housing — yet it’s private agents and landlords who are now feeling the full force of its influence. From 27 October 2025, social landlords will be bound by strict timeframes to investigate and repair damp and mould. And while the extension to the private sector isn’t law yet, it’s very much in the government’s plan via the Renters’ Rights Bill. Councils, however, aren’t waiting for Royal Assent — they’re enforcing with Awaab in mind.
Across the country, local authorities are ramping up inspections, issuing improvement notices, and warning that “lifestyle” excuses won’t cut it. Under the existing Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), failure to act can already trigger civil penalties of up to £30,000 — or even prosecution with unlimited fines. Tenants can also take matters into their own hands under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which gives them the right to sue landlords directly when a property becomes unfit to live in. In short: the legal teeth are already there.
For agents, the message is simple. Stop treating damp and mould as an inconvenience to be advised on and move past. This is now a compliance issue, and the question has shifted from “is this condensation?” to “can you prove you’ve taken reasonable steps to fix it?”
That means logging every report, recording every response, and documenting every repair. Photographs, contractor notes, and tenant updates all form the audit trail you’ll need if an Environmental Health Officer comes knocking. If you can’t evidence it, it might as well not have happened.
Training your team is crucial. Property managers and negotiators must understand how to triage reports, escalate quickly, and communicate sensitively — because mould is now more than a maintenance gripe; it’s a health issue, and tone matters.
Preparation is everything. Carry out pre-winter inspections, check ventilation and guttering, and make sure your contractor list is ready before the first cold snap. Agents should treat damp and mould as a standalone compliance category, right alongside gas safety and electrical checks.
Awaab’s Law may not yet apply to private landlords, but its standards already do. Tenants expect urgency. Councils expect proof. And agents who get ahead now won’t just stay compliant — they’ll set the benchmark for professionalism in a sector where reputation counts.
Sophie Lang is Co-Founder of Lang Llewellyn & Co.
