It’s a health hazard — not a “lifestyle” problem
Damp and mould can cause and worsen serious breathing problems, especially for children, older people and anyone with a health condition. It became national news after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old, died from prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social home — and the law changed as a result.
Landlords often try to dodge responsibility by calling it “just condensation” or saying you don’t open windows enough. But:
- If the damp comes from disrepair — leaks, broken guttering, failed damp-proofing, rotten windows, poor or broken ventilation, structural issues — it’s the landlord’s job to fix.
- A rented home must be fit to live in. If it can’t be kept free of damp and mould through normal living, that’s a hazard the landlord must deal with — not you.
Don’t accept being blamed
“Wipe it with bleach and open a window” is not a repair. If mould keeps coming back, the cause hasn’t been fixed. Keep reporting it in writing — and don’t let a landlord talk you out of your rights.
Awaab’s Law — the deadlines for social tenants
If you rent from a council or housing association, Awaab’s Law sets legal time limits. From 27 October 2025, once you report significant damp and mould (or any emergency hazard), your landlord must:
| Step | Deadline |
|---|
| Emergency hazards | Investigate and act as soon as reasonably practicable, and within 24 hours. |
| Investigate damp & mould | Within 10 working days of you reporting it. |
| Written summary to you | Within 3 working days of the investigation finishing — what they found and how they’ll fix it. |
| Make it safe | Within 5 working days of the investigation finishing. |
It’s expanding
From October 2026 Awaab’s Law widens to more hazards (excess cold and heat, falls, fire, electrical, structural and hygiene), with more to follow in 2027. If a deadline is missed, that’s a breach you can raise in a complaint and escalate.
Renting privately? You’re protected too
Awaab’s Law currently covers social housing only, but private renters have strong, separate rights:
- Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your home must be fit to live in throughout the tenancy — and you can take a private landlord to court directly if it isn’t.
- Your council’s environmental health team can inspect serious damp and mould. If it’s a serious (“Category 1”) hazard, they can order the landlord to fix it.
- Awaab’s Law is due to be extended to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act at a later date.
You can’t be evicted for asking
With Section 21 “no-fault” evictions abolished in England, a landlord can’t lawfully push you out just for complaining about damp. “Retaliatory eviction” is exactly what the law is built to stop — see
eviction rules.
How to force a fix
Whether you’re social or private, the steps are the same — and the paper trail is what wins it:
- Report it in writing — email or letter, with dated photos and a note of any effect on your health. Keep copies. This starts the legal clock.
- If it’s not fixed, use the landlord’s formal complaints procedure and put a clear deadline on it.
- Escalate free: social tenants → the Housing Ombudsman; private tenants → your council’s environmental health team, and you can take the landlord to court under the Fitness for Human Habitation Act.
Do this now
Photograph the damp and mould today, then send your landlord a written report keeping a copy. If it affects your or your children’s health, say so clearly. Need the words? Use the letter writer or see the full repairs and escalation route.
For free, expert housing help, contact Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or Citizens Advice. If you’re at risk of losing your home, see homeless help.