Described in a BBC News report yesterday as "the biggest shake-up to renting in England for more than 30 years", a new law giving tenants more rights was formally approved at the end of October.

The Renters' Rights Bill - now known as the Renters' Rights Act - applies to England and incorporates the introduction of a "Decent Homes Standard" and the new "Awaab's Law" - named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died after being exposed to mould in his Rochdale home in 2020. 

While there are many key elements to the new act that landlords will need to adhere to, Awaab's Law specifically looks at living conditions where damp and mould are present. We have covered Awaab's law in previous articles, which you can visit in the links at the end of this article for further reading if required, but we thought that this would be a good opportunity to look at tried and tested mechanical ventilation and environmental sensor options for rental properties that will help you meet the requirements of the new act.

Ventilation:
There are two different approaches to controlling damp and mould with mechanical ventilation that are excellent solutions for rented properties. dMEV and PIV.

dMEV, or decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation fans, are continuous-running units, designed to control and eliminate damp and mould issues, and are a fantastic upgrade for bathroom, utility room and kitchen fans. The continuous-running trickle setting helps to not only raise indoor air quality but also ensure any residual moisture is removed from the room as it re-evaporates during the day and night. 

Below is our choice of the best tried and tested dMEV units for use in rented accommodation:

Tornado ST100DMEVHT - Our favourite dMEV - highly configurable, powerful and can duct up to 7m.
Monsoon MON-DMEVR100HT - Excellent plug and play option with intelligent humidistat - least amount of human interaction required
Envirovent Silent Dual - three different running speeds: trickle, PIR movement sensor-triggered medium boost and humidity-triggered high boost.
Monsoon MON-DMEVHD100HT - fantastically powerful dMEV that can reach 60l/s. Excellent for kitchens

PIV, or Positive Input Ventilation units, are designed to bring fresh filtered air into a property, displacing the stale and humid air by forcing it out of trickle vents and gaps in the fabric of the building. These systems are extremely effective for treating whole-house damp issues and can effectively stop winter window condensation build-up in bedrooms overnight. Usually housed in a loft space, there is also a game-changing version from Monsoon designed for use in flats and apartments where no loft access is available.

Below is our choice of the best tried and tested PIV systems for rented accommodation:

Envirovent LV2-EVL-H LoftVent - fantastic compact loft-mounted PIV with built-in heater to temper cold air in winter months
Monsoon Energysaver Heated Compact PIV - Game-changing wall-mounted compact PIV for use in flats/apartments and basement wellings where no loft access is available

200mm Fire-Rated Supply Diffuser - this diffuser gets a special mention. If you are installing a PIV unit in the loft of a 3+ storey house, or a house with a storey 4.5 metres or more above ground level, you must upgrade the diffuser to a fire-rated model such as this. This is to protect escape routes from both fire and smoke, and as loft-mounted PIV systems are generally ported through the ceiling above landings and stairwells to maximise the introduced airflow through the whole house, it is important to protect this main escape route. 

There are also considerations for fire alarm systems and automatic cut-out controls, such as the Aico Ei414, which is wirelessly synced with all fire detectors in the house, and should any of the detectors trigger due to a fire, the alarm interface can cut the power to your PIV system. You'll agree that, if the fire were in the loft space, forcing smoke into the home, especially the stairwell, would not be ideal!

This, however, leads us on to our next port of call...

Environmental Sensors - Managing Your Housing Stock the Smart Way
Under the new Renters’ Rights Act, landlords are expected to maintain clear, up-to-date records of property inspections, particularly for homes identified as being at greater risk of damp, mould, poor air quality, or inconsistent heating. This is where smart environmental monitoring can make compliance far easier.

Aico, best known as the UK’s market leader in residential fire safety, also offers an advanced range of environmental monitoring products that go far beyond traditional smoke detection. The Aico Ei1025 Environmental Sensor provides continuous measurement of temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels, giving you a real-time picture of indoor air quality (IAQ).

Each sensor connects wirelessly to the Ei1000G SmartLINK Gateway, which not only communicates with Aico’s full suite of SmartLINK-enabled smoke and heat alarms but also serves as the secure data hub for your property. The gateway uses a 2G GSM network connection with a free-roaming SIM, meaning no ongoing subscription costs or contracts, to send encrypted data to Aico’s secure online portal or app.

Through this portal, landlords can view live data and access historical reports for each property, with automated SMS or email alerts available if readings exceed safe thresholds. Tenants can also be granted individual access to their property data, promoting transparency and helping them take an active role in maintaining good air quality.

Importantly, there’s no limit to the number of properties that can be connected; every SmartLINK Gateway creates a unique, secure login for that specific address. For landlords managing multiple rentals, this offers a streamlined, centralised way to monitor conditions and store historical data across their entire housing stock while demonstrating proactive compliance with new housing standards.

Put yourself as a landlord ahead of the game, and your tenants safe in the knowledge that they are protected and cared for by forward-thinking property management who care about their welfare and are committed to providing safe and healthy living spaces by installing exceptional Mechanical Ventilation solutions and smart Environmental Sensors in all your properties.

 

Further reading links:

Awaab’s Law Part 1: What it means for Landlords.

Awaab’s Law Part 2: The Three Most Important Factors for Eliminating Damp & Mould

Damp and Mould still making the headlines ahead of Awaab’s Law’s October implementation