If you are a landlord — whether you own a single private rental property or manage a portfolio of social housing — the indoor air quality regulatory landscape is changing significantly and some of it has already changed. This article explains what is already in force, what is coming in 2027, and what your obligations are as a property owner or manager.
What has already changed
Awaab's Law — in force October 2025
Awaab's Law (part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023) came into force in October 2025 for registered social landlords in England. It sets legally enforceable timescales for investigating and remedying damp, mould and other housing hazards:
- Investigate damp and mould within 14 days of a report
- Provide a written remediation plan within a further 14 days
- Begin emergency repairs within 24 hours
- Complete urgent safety work within 5 working days
Phase 2 of Awaab's Law takes effect 30 November 2026, extending the framework to additional hazard categories. Phase 3 is expected in 2027. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is expected to extend similar obligations to private landlords — that extension is not yet in force but is coming.
HHSRS 2026 — Indoor Air Pollutants now a scored hazard
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System was overhauled in June 2026. The new system includes Indoor Air Pollutants as Hazard 18 — a formally scored, inspectable and enforceable category. This means Environmental Health Officers can now score and act on indoor air quality issues in your property in the same way they would act on damp, cold or structural hazards. Biocides, VOCs and chemical particulate in indoor air are all within scope.
What the 2027 regulation means for landlords
The 2027 regulatory framework — the UK Indoor Air Quality Strategy, the Environment Act 2021 and the updated Approved Document F — will set measurable standards for indoor air quality in residential and commercial buildings. For landlords this means:
- Ventilation — properties that do not meet the ventilation standards in Approved Document F will face compliance pressure on any material alteration or change of use. Landlords refurbishing properties from March 2027 will need to meet the new standard.
- Mould and damp — the combination of Awaab's Law timescales and HHSRS Hazard 18 means that damp and mould is no longer a maintenance issue that can be managed slowly. It is a regulated hazard with enforcement consequences.
- Remediation standards — the contractors you commission to carry out mould remediation must use appropriate equipment. Under COSHH 2002, mould is a biological hazard and H-Class extraction is already the legal engineering control. A contractor who wipes mould off a wall with a cloth and repaints is not carrying out remediation — and if the mould returns, you have a documented record of having been told about it and having not fixed it properly.
What good remediation looks like
The UK Centre for Mould Safety (UKCMS) Mould-Safe Code is becoming the de facto benchmark for what housing associations and local authorities expect from remediation contractors. Good remediation means:
- Identifying and fixing the underlying moisture source — not just treating the surface mould
- Using H-Class extraction with H14 HEPA filtration during any vacuuming of affected surfaces — to prevent mould spores being dispersed into the air
- A follow-up inspection at least six weeks after remediation to confirm the mould has not returned
- Documentation throughout — the timescales and the actions taken
Mould removal standards and UKCMS Mould-Safe Code →
What happens if you do not act
For social landlords, failure to meet the Awaab's Law timescales is a regulatory breach. The Regulator of Social Housing has enforcement powers including enforcement notices and, in serious cases, special measures. For private landlords, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduced civil penalties of up to £7,000 for Category 1 housing hazards — which includes serious damp and mould.
Beyond the regulatory consequences, a landlord whose tenant develops a health condition related to mould or poor indoor air quality faces civil liability. The paper trail that Awaab's Law creates — documented reports, documented responses, documented remediation — means that inaction or inadequate action is much harder to defend than it was previously.
What tenants can ask for
Under Awaab's Law and the existing legal framework, tenants in social housing have the right to expect investigation within the statutory timescales. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, all tenants — social and private — can take their landlord to court if the property is unfit for human habitation, which includes serious damp and mould. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 strengthens those rights further.
If you are a tenant reading this rather than a landlord, the tenant rights guide covers what you can do if your landlord is not acting.
Further reading
Awaab's Law — full guidance → | Indoor Air Quality Regulation 2027 → | Mould removal standards → | Housing and property legislation hub →
