From today (Monday 27th October) new regulations on how social landlords such as Red Kite must respond to reports of hazards such as damp and mould in our homes come into effect. They are known as ‘Awaab’s Law’ in memory of two-year old Awaab Ishak, who died tragically in 2020 as a result of a severe respiratory condition due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home.

Awaab’s Law introduces new requirements that mean we have to act quickly when our tenants report a hazard in their home. When we receive a report, we will immediately assess whether there is an EMERGENCY hazard or, in the case of damp or mould, a SIGNIFICANT hazard:

  • EMERGENCY: poses an ‘imminent and significant risk of harm’ to the health or safety of a tenant within the home.
  • SIGNIFICANT: poses a ‘significant risk of harm’ to the health or safety of a tenant within the home.

The regulations explain in more detail what the two terms cover.

If there is an EMERGENCY hazard we must:

  • Investigate within 24 hours of receiving the report
  • Complete any safety repairs (or if this is not possible secure alternative accommodation) within 24 hours of receiving the report
  • Send the lead tenant a summary in writing within 3 working days of the investigation (unless all repair works have already been completed)
  • Start preventative repairs within 5 working days of the investigation (or if this is not possible, then as soon as is reasonably possible, and within 12 weeks).

If there is damp or mould causing a SIGNIFICANT hazard we must:

  • Investigate within 10 working days of receiving the report
  • Send the lead tenant a summary in writing within 3 working days of the investigation (unless all repair works have already been completed)
  • Complete safety repairs within 5 working days of the investigation (or if this is not possible secure alternative accommodation)
  • Start preventative repairs within 5 working days of the investigation (or if this is not possible, then as soon as is reasonably possible, and within 12 weeks).
  • We must also keep the lead tenant informed throughout, and provide them with information on how to keep safe.

If the issue reported isn’t covered under Awaab's Law, we will deal with it through our standard repairs process.

We have always encouraged our tenants to report problems in their homes to us as soon as possible, and have worked hard to deal with these when they have been reported to us. Awaab’s Law now requires us to act – and to act fast – if these issues are serious.

Our tenants can and should expect us to meet the standards set out in the regulations, but if we don't we encourage them to tell us through our feedback process.

How to report a hazard

Potential hazards can be reported to us at any time by using our hazard reporting form or by calling us on 01494 476100 or contacting us via our webchat service.

Tenants can also email us at contact@redkitehousing.org.uk, but we may take up to two working days to respond this way, so in an emergency it's always best to call.

How to report an issue with damp or mould

If you're a Red Kite tenant, please make sure you tell us as soon as possible if you're concerned about damp, mould or condensation in your home, especially if you think it might be having an impact on your health or the health of members of your household.

You’ll need to provide us with some details and then we’ll get back to you with some next steps. You can complete our online form or alternatively we can take you through the questions over the phone - call 01494 476100.

NEW – Home MOTs

We welcome Awaab’s Law and the new focus it brings to dealing with hazards promptly. As part of our response to the new regulations we’ve added a new free service as part of our annual gas safety checks – a Home MOT.

These checks will cover a number of areas of our tenants' homes and ensure that any repairs or remedial works are reported to us. The checks will include:

  • looking for signs of damp, mould and condensation
  • reviewing doors in the home
  • ensuring any fire detection is sufficient and working
  • reviewing any extractor fans
  • looking for other repair issues.

Future phases of Awaab’s Law

The regulations will be extended across 2026 and 2027 to include additional hazards, and we will be providing further information to our tenants on these changes as they take effect.