Awaab's Law: Getting Damp and Mould Fixed
Awaab's Law gives council and housing association landlords in England strict deadlines to deal with damp, mould and emergency hazards. Report the problem in writing so you have proof of the date, and we print your letter and post it for you by Royal Mail.
Report damp and mould to your landlord by Royal Mail Tracked 24, from £8.99, so you can prove the date it arrived.
From £2.49 including printing and postage
- No printer or Post Office trip
- See the finished letter before you pay
- Order by 2.30pm for same-day posting
Quick Answer
- In force since
- 27 October 2025
- Emergency hazards
- 24 hours
- Investigate damp and mould
- 10 working days
- Written summary
- 3 working days after
- Make it safe
- 5 working days
Awaab's Law covers council and housing association tenants in England. It does not cover private renters yet.
Where to Send It
Report damp and mould to your landlord first, at the address on your tenancy agreement or rent statement. The Housing Ombudsman comes after your landlord's complaints process.
Your landlord
Your report of damp or mould, and any complaint after that.
The address on your tenancy agreementor your rent statementSay where the damp or mould is, how long it has been there and who in your home is affected. Keep a copy and take dated photos.
Write your letterHousing Ombudsman Service
If your landlord's complaints process does not put things right.
Housing Ombudsman ServicePO Box 1484Unit DPrestonPR2 0ETThe Ombudsman prefers its online form, as post is slower. You can also phone it on 0300 111 3000.
Read the Housing Ombudsman guideIf you rent privately
Private landlords are not covered by Awaab's Law yet.
Your private landlordthen your council's environmental health teamYour landlord must still keep your home fit to live in and do repairs. If it does not, your council can inspect your home.
Checked against GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and the Housing Ombudsman on 20 October 2026.
Why Send It With PostRight
Proof It Arrived
Choose Tracked 24 and you can see when your letter was delivered, with a photo on delivery. Useful when a deadline or reply time counts from the day it arrives.
No Printer, Envelope or Stamp
Type your letter or upload a PDF on any device. We print it, put it in the envelope and post it.
Posted Today
Order by 2.30pm on a working day and we post it the same day by Royal Mail.
How It Works
- 1Write your letterPress Write Your Letter and add your landlord's address. Say where the damp or mould is and how long it has been there.
- 2Add your photosTo send dated photos with your letter, upload your letter and the photos together as one PDF.
- 3We print it and post itOrder by 2.30pm on a working day and we post it the same day by Royal Mail. Choose a tracked service for a record of when it arrived.
What Awaab's Law Is
Awaab's Law is the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. It came into force on 27 October 2025 and sets legal deadlines for social landlords to deal with significant damp and mould hazards and all emergency hazards.
The Deadlines Your Landlord Must Meet
Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. Significant damp and mould hazards must be investigated within 10 working days, and you must get a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation finishing. Work to make your home safe must be done within 5 working days, and any further work must start within 12 weeks.
The clock starts when your landlord becomes aware of the problem. You do not have to report it in writing, but a letter gives you proof of the date.
Who It Covers
Awaab's Law applies to most people renting from a council or housing association in England with a tenancy agreement. Some people in supported or temporary housing have a licence instead, and are not covered yet.
If You Rent Privately
Awaab's Law does not cover private renters yet. The government opened a consultation on extending it to private tenancies on 9 October 2026, closing on 18 December 2026, and no start date has been set.
Your private landlord must still keep your home fit to live in, and damp and mould growth is one of the problems the law lists. Report it in writing, and if your landlord does not act, ask your council's environmental health team to inspect.
What Comes Next
From 30 November 2026, Awaab's Law is due to cover more hazards in social housing, including excess cold and heat, falls, fire, electrical hazards and structural collapse. The government plans to add the remaining hazards, apart from overcrowding, in 2027.
What to Put in Your Letter
Say where the damp or mould is, when you first noticed it and how it affects you and your family, especially anyone who is young, older or unwell. Ask your landlord to investigate and put things right within the Awaab's Law deadlines. Keep a copy, and photos with dates.
Complaining to the Housing Ombudsman
If your landlord does not put things right, use its complaints process. Once it has given its final response, you have 12 months to take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, which is free.
Damp, Mould and Your Health
Government health guidance says the effects of damp and mould on breathing can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death. It also says it is totally unreasonable for landlords to blame damp and mould on tenants' lifestyle choices.
More Ways to Send
Frequently Asked Questions
A law that came into force in England on 27 October 2025. It gives council and housing association landlords legal deadlines to deal with damp, mould and emergency hazards.
Report damp and mould to your landlord today.
Write or upload your letter, choose your service at checkout, and we print it and post it by Royal Mail.