Welcome to part one in our series of blog posts regarding Awaab’s Law. In this first article we will be focusing on the problems, the legislation, and solutions for Landlords.

Over the past few years, we have all become increasingly aware of the dangers of household mould resulting from untreated damp problems. The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020 prompted campaigners to call for reforms to existing laws to better protect residents in social housing and rental properties.

In January 2024, the Conservative government began developing plans to require social housing providers to address mould, damp, and other health hazards more urgently. Under the proposed legislation, known as Awaab’s Law, social housing landlords would have been required to investigate reports of damp and/or mould within 14 days and resolve any identified issues within 7 days of the investigation. In cases requiring emergency repairs, action would need to be taken within 24 hours. Failure to comply with these proposed regulations would result in legal action against landlords and compensation payments to affected residents.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives scrapped the legislation ahead of the General Election in July 2024.

The current Labour government, however, is introducing revised legislation under the Renters’ Rights Bill. This new bill will revive Awaab’s Law and extend its provisions to include private landlords as well as social housing providers.

With the introduction of this new bill, we are here to assist you—whether you’re a landlord or a social housing provider. If you have any questions, need support in designing a system, selecting fans for upgrades, or addressing specific issues, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re more than happy to help!

The headline of The Renters’ Rights Bill, published on 11th September 2024, centres on banning Section 21 “no-fault” evictions. This aims to reduce the fear of retaliatory evictions, empowering renters to report issues or challenge landlords over unresolved repairs without fear of losing their homes. The ultimate goal is to improve living conditions for renters across the UK.

“Standards will also be driven up, as the Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector for the first time. Currently 21% of privately rented homes are considered non-decent and more than 500,000 contain the most serious of hazards. Clear expectations will be set so tenants can expect safe, well-maintained, and secure living conditions.”

Press Release - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP - Published 11 September 2024
Landmark reforms to give greater security for 11 million renters - GOV.UK 

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces several measures, which will be listed in full at the end of this article. For now, we will focus on those related to damp and mould issues.

One key measure in the bill is the extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector, ensuring that all renters in England can challenge unsafe and hazardous living conditions.

So, what does this mean for landlords?

When it comes to damp and mould issues, this means that landlords—across both the private and social housing sectors—will need to educate themselves on the causes, potential problems, and effective solutions. We recommend, where possible, implementing preventative measures to stop issues from occurring in the first place, as well as adopting smart monitoring systems to identify and address any early warning signs before they escalate.

So, what measures can you implement?

Utilising Environmental Sensors to monitor your properties can help you stay ahead of emerging issues and track environmental changes. But what solutions can you put in place to address existing problems or prevent them from occurring in the first place?

The key to tackling damp and mould is effectively removing humidity and moisture from buildings before they create the ideal environment for mould growth. While structural problems, such as leaks, damaged damp-proof courses, or structural damage, require material fixes, one of the most significant contributors to damp issues is poor ventilation.

Moisture naturally accumulates inside buildings from everyday activities such as showering, bathing, cooking, drying clothes, and even through perspiration and respiration. Without adequate ventilation, this moisture becomes trapped, leading to serious damp and mould problems over time.

Simply advising renters to open windows, use trickle vents, or leave air gaps between furniture and walls will not resolve the problem. In fact, opening windows and relying on passive trickle vents can worsen the situation, especially during colder weather, as they allow heat loss, further cooling surfaces and increasing condensation buildup.

The most effective solution is to install appropriate mechanical ventilation systems that control internal air flow while venting moisture and other airborne pollutants out of the property. Problematic areas like bathrooms, wet rooms, kitchens, and utility rooms already have specific ventilation requirements under Part F of the current Building Regulations, 

which all rented properties should comply with. However, some spaces may still experience issues if the installed fans are not powerful enough.

We offer a range of excellent dMEV (continuous mechanical extract ventilation) models in our shop, which serve as a highly efficient upgrade to standard intermittent fans. These systems are specifically designed to improve indoor air quality, particularly in combating damp and mould in targeted rooms. These units are ideal for controlling air quality in areas such as bathrooms, wet rooms, kitchens, and utility rooms, and they are also well-suited for bedrooms and other internal spaces where low running noise is essential.

So, what can you do to address damp issues affecting the entire structure, rather than just specific rooms? One effective solution is to install PIV (Positive Input Ventilation) units, which work by expelling internal air, along with the airborne moisture, from the building. This method is particularly effective in older buildings, as it forces the air out through the gaps in the building's fabric while also preventing cold, damp air from entering through those same gaps.

In newer buildings, where construction regulations focus on creating airtight designs to minimize heat loss, the approach is slightly different. Upgrading the fans in bathrooms, wet rooms, kitchens, and utility rooms to dMEV units enhances the effectiveness of PIV systems. These units help draw fresh, filtered, and warmed air supplied by the PIV system through the building, while also acting as venting points to expel moisture from the sealed environment more effectively. This combined approach ensures better moisture control and air quality throughout the entire building.

It’s important to note that in new social housing developments, incorporating suitable ventilation systems into the design from the outset can prevent issues from arising. By integrating whole-house MEV (Mechanical Extract Ventilation) or MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) systems, along with appropriate Environmental Sensors, you can proactively address potential moisture and air quality problems. This approach not only ensures safe, healthy, and comfortable living spaces but also gives you a competitive edge in the housing market by meeting modern standards and future-proofing your developments.

Below you will find the full list of measures introduced in the bill included in the press release:

• “Applying Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector. This will ensure that all renters in England are empowered to challenge dangerous conditions.

• Apply a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time. Landlords who fail to address serious hazards can be fined up to £7,000 by local councils and may face prosecution for non-compliance.

• A ban on rental bidding wars, by cracking down on those who make the most of the housing crisis by forcing tenants to bid for their properties. Landlords and letting agents will be legally required to publish an asking rent for their property. They will also be banned from asking for, encouraging, or accepting any bids above this price.

• Ban on in-tenancy rent increases written into contracts to prevent landlords implementing too high rents mid-tenancy, often to push out the current tenants. Under these reforms, landlords will only be allowed to raise the rent once a year, and to the market rate.

• Abolishing blanket bans on tenants with children or those in receipt of benefits to ensure fair access to housing for all.

A new Private Rented Sector Database will also be created to help landlords understand their obligations for compliance and provide tenants the information they need to make informed choices for new tenancies. It will also enable councils to focus enforcement where it is needed most.”

Press Release - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP - Published 11 September 2024
Landmark reforms to give greater security for 11 million renters - GOV.UK 

 

For some additional information and some very helpful links for both landlords and tenants, follow the link below to a very good article by Madeleine Hunter on Shelter.org.uk