Awaab’s Law for Landlords: Your Obligations & Compliance Guide
A step-by-step guide to what you must do, the exact timeframes you must meet, and how to evidence compliance if challenged.
What landlords need to know
Under Awaab's Law, landlords must investigate and fix damp and mould hazards within fixed timeframes: 24 hours for emergencies, 14 days to investigate routine reports, and 7 weeks to complete all works. Written records of every report and remediation action are essential for compliance evidence.
What Must Landlords Do Under Awaab’s Law?
Direct answer
Landlords must acknowledge and log every damp or mould report immediately, investigate within 14 days (or 24 hours for emergencies), provide tenants with written findings, and complete all remediation works within 7 weeks. Failure to act within these timeframes exposes landlords to enforcement action.
Log every report immediately
When a tenant reports damp or mould — by any channel (text, email, call, letter) — create a written record with the date, time, nature of the complaint, and which property and room is affected. This log is your primary evidence of compliance.
Assess the severity within 24 hours
Determine whether the hazard is an emergency (posing an immediate risk to health, e.g. extensive black mould in a bedroom or bathroom). If emergency: you must begin investigation and make safe within 24 hours. If non-emergency: you have 14 days to investigate.
Instruct a qualified specialist
Contact a PCA-accredited or RICS-qualified damp and mould specialist. They should inspect the property, identify the root cause (condensation, rising damp, penetrating damp, or structural), and provide a written scope of works.
Provide written findings to your tenant
After investigation, provide the tenant with a written summary of findings and the remediation plan. Keep a copy. This is required under Awaab's Law and protects you if a dispute arises later.
Complete all remediation within 7 weeks
All non-emergency repair and remediation works must be completed within 7 weeks of the original report. For emergency works, completion is required within 48 hours. Document when works were completed and by whom.
Follow up with the tenant
After remediation, confirm with the tenant in writing that works are complete and ask them to report any recurrence promptly. A simple written confirmation protects you and evidences good-faith compliance.
What Are the Exact Timeframes?
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Landlords have 24 hours to begin investigating emergency hazards, 48 hours to complete emergency repairs, 14 days to investigate all other reports and provide written findings, and 7 weeks from the original report to complete all remediation and repairs.
| Scenario | Investigate by | Complete repairs by |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency hazard (immediate health risk) | 24 hours | 48 hours |
| Routine damp or mould report | 14 days | 7 weeks |
These timeframes run from the date of the tenant’s original report, not from when you acknowledge it. Document the date you received the report.
How Should Landlords Evidence Compliance?
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Landlords should maintain a written log of every report received, with dates and details. Keep copies of all correspondence with tenants, contractor invoices and reports, and any photographs of works completed. This paper trail is your primary defence if a tenant or council challenges your compliance.
Find a Qualified Contractor to Help You Comply
Meeting Awaab’s Law timeframes requires fast access to qualified specialists. MouldPros lists only manually verified contractors — including PCA members, RICS-accredited surveyors, and CSRT-qualified specialists — who understand landlord compliance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions for Landlords
- Do I need to act on damp and mould complaints if I think it's the tenant's fault?
- Yes. Under Awaab's Law, you must investigate every damp and mould report regardless of your view on the cause. Only after a qualified inspection can you determine whether the issue is structural (your responsibility) or condensation caused by tenant behaviour. You cannot refuse to investigate on the assumption it is tenant-caused.
- What counts as an emergency under Awaab's Law?
- An emergency is a hazard that poses an immediate risk to the health or safety of occupants — for example, extensive black mould in a room used for sleeping, mould in a room used by young children or vulnerable adults, or damp that has caused structural failure. If in doubt, treat it as an emergency.
- Can I use any contractor, or do they need specific qualifications?
- The law requires remediation to be carried out properly. Using unqualified contractors who treat symptoms rather than root causes may result in recurrence — leaving you non-compliant. Contractors accredited by the PCA (Property Care Association) or CSRT-qualified surveyors have the training to diagnose and fix damp and mould correctly.
- What if I can't get a contractor within the required timeframe?
- You are expected to make reasonable efforts to comply. If you cannot source a contractor quickly, document every attempt you made — calls, emails, quotes requested — and take interim steps to reduce risk to the tenant (e.g. dehumidifiers for condensation mould). This evidence of reasonable effort will be relevant to any enforcement action.
- Does Awaab's Law apply to furnished and unfurnished lettings?
- Yes. Awaab's Law applies to all residential tenancies regardless of whether the property is furnished or unfurnished, and regardless of the tenancy type (assured shorthold, regulated, HMO licence, etc.).