Awaab’s Law – what it means for you and your home
At Settle, we’re committed to providing safe, comfortable homes for all residents.
From 27 October 2025, Awaab’s Law comes into effect. This is new legislation that requires social housing landlords to investigate and act on reports of damp and mould within set timeframes.
Why Awaab’s Law was introduced
Awaab’s Law was created following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s home, a property owned by a housing association in Rochdale, in the north of England.
Awaab’s Law forms part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, ensuring landlords act quickly to address hazards that could affect residents’ health. While the new law focuses on damp and mould, from 2026 it will also cover other serious hazards, such as excess cold and heat, falls, fire and electrical safety, and hygiene standards.
What residents can expect
From day one of Awaab’s Law, residents won’t notice any changes to the service they receive. The Law places greater emphasis on how we manage and record cases, and at Settle, our processes are already well established and we continue to strengthen them, working to our repairs and maintenance standards. We’re committed to providing ongoing support and improving our services, working with residents to make sure they receive the best possible experience.
If you report a concern about damp, mould, or condensation, our specialist team will assess the severity of the issue and prioritise it appropriately. A full inspection of your home will be arranged, and we’ll need access to each room to fully understand the problem. Within three working days, we’ll send you a summary letter outlining our findings, the actions we plan to take, and your case number. During any works, we’ll keep you updated and carry out a follow-up inspection to make sure the problem has been fully resolved.
What we’ve done so far
We’ve been improving how we manage damp and mould for several years to make sure every home is safe, comfortable and well-maintained. Over the last two to three years, we’ve:
- Put in place a dedicated team to deal with damp, mould and condensation and make sure cases are handled quickly and consistently.
- Delivered awareness training for all Settle teams, not just those in resident-facing roles, to help everyone understand the importance of responding quickly to housing health hazards, including damp and mould.
- Introduced better systems to help us identify potential issues sooner and plan preventative work.
- Held workshops during our Neighbourhood Action Weeks to share practical tips with residents on preventing damp and mould.
- Carried out a detailed review to make sure we’re fully ready for Awaab’s Law and continually improving how we work.
We’ve also been working closely with Paradigm housing association as part of our merger, sharing learning and aligning our processes so that residents across both organisations benefit from the same high standards and service.
What you can do
We’re here to help keep your home safe and comfortable. If you notice any damp or mould, please tell us straight away so we can work with you to put it right. If you’re worried about an ongoing issue, get in touch and we’ll make sure you have the support you need.
If you need to report damp or mould in your home, please call us on 0330 343 0016 or complete an online form at Reportahazard.settlegroup.org.uk.
More information is available on our Damp and mould and condensation web page or through My Settle Portal.
We complete all emergency repairs within 24 hours.
You can find out more details about non-emergency repairs and when we will complete them in the repairs responsibilities section of our website.
