30 Safety & Security


Why confi dence, not just compliance, will defi ne the sector’s response to Awaab’s Law


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ducation, prevention and a better understanding of building performance are crucial to helping landlords meet the


demands of Awaab’s Law, explains Howard Trotter, Business Manager at Shelforce. T e message behind Awaab’s Law is


unmistakable. A reactive approach to damp, mould and wider housing hazards is no longer acceptable. Across the sector, there is strong support for


the principles behind the law. Nobody disputes the need for greater accountability, the need for safer homes or the need for faster intervention when hazards are identifi ed. Yet while the commitment is there, confi dence


in delivering against the new requirements is still developing. T at’s one of the clearest fi ndings from our new whitepaper, Navigating Awaab’s Law: Compliance, clarity and the critical role of education. T e research from our survey paints a picture


of a sector in transition, where many organisations understand the importance of the legislation but are still working through how to apply it consistently in practice.


A SECTOR IN TRANSITION One of the most striking fi ndings is the gap between perceived preparedness and operational confi dence. While just under half (47.9%) of housing professionals surveyed believe their organisation is fully prepared for Awaab’s Law, while more than a quarter (27.4%) say they are only partially prepared and nearly one in four organisations (24.6%) admit they are either still assessing the implications or not prepared at all. Signifi cantly, only 38.9% say they are very confi dent in their ability to comply under real-world conditions, while 33.4% report little to no confi dence at all. T at distinction matters. Policies and procedures are essential, but


they only become meaningful when organisations can investigate hazards quickly, make the right decisions and complete remedial work within


increasingly demanding timescales. For local authorities and housing associations managing large and diverse housing stock, that creates a major operational challenge.


COMPLEXITY AND UNDERSTANDING Awaab’s Law extends far beyond damp and mould alone. As the legislation develops, it will increasingly align with wider Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards including thermal comfort, structural safety and fi re risk. Our research shows there is still uncertainty


around these broader responsibilities, particularly when it comes to understanding hazard defi nitions and intervention thresholds. In practical terms, many organisations are still


asking the same questions: what qualifi es as a serious hazard, when should escalation happen and what level of remedial action is required? Without consistent understanding across housing


teams, contractors and supply chains, compliance becomes far more diffi cult to manage.


FROM SYMPTOMS TO SOLUTIONS T ere is a danger in viewing Awaab’s Law purely through a compliance lens and the sector now has an opportunity to move from short-term remedies to long-term prevention. T at means looking more closely at the role building performance plays in creating healthy homes. Damp and mould are rarely caused by one issue


alone. In most cases, they result from a combination of factors linked to ventilation, insulation, heating and everyday occupancy patterns. Windows and doors have a particularly


important role within that wider environment, yet despite this, our research suggests that, while


Housing Management & Maintenance Summer 2026


some organisations have replacement programmes underway specifi cally to tackle damp and mould, many still have no such plans in place.


EDUCATION CRITICAL T ere is also a tendency to treat condensation and mould purely as maintenance issues when they are oſt en symptoms of wider building performance challenges combined with everyday living conditions. Cooking, showering and drying clothes indoors all introduce moisture into the home and without adequate ventilation that moisture has nowhere to go. T e answer therefore cannot rely solely on


repairs aſt er problems emerge. Instead, landlords need a more joined-up approach that combines investment in high-quality building products with practical tenant guidance around moisture management and ventilation. When residents understand how to manage


moisture in the home and landlords invest in well- designed, properly installed building fabric, the conversation shiſt s from cure to prevention. T at is ultimately what Awaab’s Law should


drive. Not simply faster repairs, but healthier homes created through better understanding, stronger communication and long-term thinking which will turn the legislation into lasting improvement for residents. Shelforce has decades of experience supplying


high-performance windows, doors and fi re doors for social housing projects across Birmingham. T e full white paper is available to download by visiting the website below.


0121 603 5262 shelforce.com/awaabs-law-whitepaper-download


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