Awaab's Law 2026: How Smart Temperature and Humidity Sensors Can Help Social Landlords Prevent Damp and Mould

Damp and mould are no longer treated as a routine repairs issue in social homes. Since October 2025, Awaab's Law has given tenants in England legally enforceable timeframes for the investigation of serious hazards, and Awaab's Law 2026 extends the scope of the law to many more hazards. For social landlords, housing associations and local authorities, the challenge is clear: identify each potential hazard earlier, take action faster and keep clear evidence that every step was reasonable. Smart temperature and humidity sensors are one of the most practical tools to support that work, day after day.

What Is Awaab's Law and What Changes in 2026?

Awaab's Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's flat in Rochdale. Following the coroner's report, the government introduced new legal requirements for social landlords through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The detailed rules are set out in the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, and the government has published non-statutory guidance for social landlords to help each landlord apply the regulations in practice.

Who does the law apply to?

The law applies to social landlords in England: housing associations and other registered providers, as well as local authorities that own and manage homes. It covers social tenancies and the homes let under them, so every landlord in the sector needs a process to ensure each hazard is assessed, investigated and made safe within the legal timeframes. Awaab's Law applies whatever the size of the landlord, and the same investigation and emergency requirements apply to a small housing association and to a large local authority.

Awaab's Law timeline 2025–2027

The law is being introduced in three phases:

• Phase 1 – from 27 October 2025: social landlords must respond to significant damp and mould hazards and to all emergency hazards within fixed deadlines.
• Phase 2 – scheduled for 30 November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval: the scope extends to further hazards from the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), including excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse and explosions, fire, electrical hazards, and domestic and personal hygiene and food safety hazards.
• Phase 3 – planned for 2027: the remaining HHSRS hazards, except overcrowding, are expected to come into scope.

See the government’s Phase 2 guidance for social landlords for the expanded requirements.

For many landlords, Phase 2 is the real turning point. Excess cold and excess heat are directly linked to indoor temperature, so continuous temperature data becomes relevant not only to damp and mould, but to two new categories of hazard. Fire is also in scope, which makes reliable smoke detectors and a clear maintenance process part of the same safety strategy.

Timeframes under Awaab's Law

The landlord's duties start on the day it has knowledge of a potential hazard. That knowledge can come from a tenant report, a contractor visit, a surveyor or any other relevant source of information, and the guidance makes clear that information received by staff in the course of their work can count as the landlord's own knowledge; independent contractors need clear procedures for reporting concerns to the landlord. The key requirements are:

If the home cannot be made safe within the required timeframes, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation. The written summary must set out the investigation findings, the steps the landlord will take and the expected timescale for works. The regulations also require clear records showing how each report was assessed, which working day each step took place on and why decisions were made. Scotland is introducing its own version of Awaab's Law, with guidance for landlords in Scotland, so providers across the UK are moving in the same direction.

What counts as a working day?

Under the regulations, a working day excludes weekends and bank holidays. In practice, 10 working days normally spans two working weeks, or longer where bank holidays intervene: a report received on a Friday must lead to an investigation within the following 10 working days, not 10 calendar days. Counting working days correctly is essential, and the guidance expects landlords to log the date and time of each report, the working days elapsed and the action taken at each stage. Emergency hazards are different: the 24 hours run continuously, including weekends and bank holidays, so out-of-hours teams and contractor rotas must be able to make the property safe at any time. Clear procedures help ensure that the required action is taken and that the written summary reaches the tenant on time.

Significant hazard or emergency hazard?

The guidance distinguishes between two levels. A significant hazard is one that poses a significant risk of harm to the health or safety of a tenant, and must be investigated within 10 working days. An emergency hazard poses an imminent and significant risk of harm and must be dealt with within 24 hours. In both cases, the landlord must consider the relevant information about the household, such as young children, older residents or people with health conditions, because the same damp, cold or mould problem can be more serious for some tenants than for others. Good data helps the landlord make that judgement and record the steps taken.

Tenant rights and compensation

The requirements are implied into social tenancy agreements. If a landlord fails to comply, tenants can take legal action for breach of contract and may be awarded compensation, as well as an order to carry out the necessary works. Residents can also complain to the Housing Ombudsman, and the Regulator of Social Housing can take action where a landlord's failures are systemic.

Why Damp, Mould and Excess Cold Matter in Social Housing

Mould grows where moisture meets cold surfaces. When relative humidity stays above roughly 70% for long periods, or when walls and window reveals stay cold, condensation forms and fungal growth follows. The potential harm to health and safety is serious:

• Health: damp and mould are linked to asthma, respiratory infections and allergies, with children, older people and tenants with existing health conditions most at risk of harm.
• Excess cold: under-heated homes put health at risk, and cold rooms are far more prone to condensation. From Phase 2, excess cold becomes a hazard with its own Awaab's Law deadlines.
• Excess heat: poorly ventilated, overheating flats are another Phase 2 hazard, increasingly relevant during summer heatwaves.
• Property condition: persistent moisture damages plaster, timber and decorations, increasing the cost of repairs.
• Legal exposure: missed deadlines can lead to complaints, Ombudsman findings, regulatory action and claims for compensation.

The difficulty for social landlords is that condensation problems rarely appear in a single day. They build up over weeks, often unseen, until a tenant complains about visible black spots on a wall. By then, the clock is already running.

How a Landlord Should Respond to a Hazard Under Awaab's Law

The guidance describes a clear sequence of steps. Following it consistently is the best way for a social landlord to show that each hazard was handled in line with the law.

1. Receive and log the information: whether a potential hazard is reported by a tenant, spotted by a contractor or flagged by a sensor alert, the landlord should record the date, the time and the source of the information. This is the moment the landlord becomes aware of the potential hazard.
2. Triage the risk: the landlord must decide whether the property may contain an emergency hazard, a significant hazard or a lower-level issue. The decision should take account of the relevant information about the tenant and the household, including any health or safety vulnerabilities.
3. Investigate within the required timeframe: an emergency hazard must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours; a significant hazard must be investigated within 10 working days. The investigation can be carried out by a qualified member of staff or a competent contractor, in person or, where appropriate, using other relevant information such as photos or sensor data.
4. Send the written summary: within 3 working days of the investigation, the tenant must receive a written summary of the findings, explaining whether a hazard was found, what safety work is required and when the works will take place.
5. Make the property safe: where a significant hazard is identified, the landlord must complete the relevant safety work within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. If the tenant cannot stay safely in the home, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation.
6. Carry out supplementary works: further work to prevent the hazard from returning, such as heating upgrades, ventilation improvements or insulation, must begin, or steps to begin it must be taken, within 5 working days of the investigation concluding; where this is not possible, it must start as soon as possible and physically begin within 12 weeks.
7. Keep the tenant informed and record everything: the landlord should update the tenant at each stage, keep records of every action, and be able to show the Housing Ombudsman or the Regulator of Social Housing how the regulations and guidance were applied.

Each of these steps depends on accurate, timely information. Monitoring data from connected sensors can support every stage of the process, from the first alert to the evidence that the safety work has removed the risk.

Awaab's Law and Excess Cold: What Landlords Need to Know

Excess cold is one of the most common hazards in English homes, and from 30 November 2026 it falls within the scope of Awaab's Law. Under the HHSRS, the risk of harm increases significantly when indoor temperatures fall below about 18°C, particularly for older tenants and those with health conditions. A landlord will need to investigate a significant excess cold hazard within 10 working days and make the property safe, for example by repairing a broken boiler, restoring heating or providing temporary heaters.

Temperature data helps a landlord understand whether a home is persistently cold because of the heating system, poor insulation, faulty thermostatic radiator valves or the way heating is used. It also provides evidence of the conditions in the property before and after the works, which is relevant information for the written summary and for any later complaint.

How Temperature and Humidity Sensors Help Identify Potential Risks

Damp and mould monitoring with connected sensors turns an invisible process into relevant, measurable information. A compact sensor such as the NEXELEC FEEL, placed in a bedroom, living room or bathroom, records indoor temperature and relative humidity every few minutes, day and night, and sends the data to a central platform.

Continuous monitoring helps social landlords to:

• Spot a potential hazard early: sustained high humidity combined with low temperatures is a reliable early warning of condensation.
• Receive automatic alerts: thresholds can trigger notifications when a home stays too humid or too cold for too long, so teams can take action before a significant hazard develops.
• Prioritise the right homes: dashboards highlight the properties that need attention first, helping surveyors and each contractor target inspections where they matter most.
• Understand the root cause: data, combined with an inspection and residents' accounts, can help investigate inadequate heating, poor ventilation or building defects, which supports fairer conversations with residents and helps landlords make the right repair decision.
• Check that repairs work: after installing extractor fans, improving insulation or fitting thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), landlords can use the data to confirm that conditions have improved.
• Build an audit trail: time-stamped records support the written evidence Awaab's Law requires and show that the landlord took reasonable steps.

Awaab's Law sensors do not replace investigations, tenant complaints or the legal timeframes. They give teams objective information and earlier warning, so they can investigate sooner, take the relevant safety steps and ensure each home is safe. In other words, sensors help landlords spot a risk before it becomes a hazard, and use that data to plan action rather than react to it.

Temperature, humidity and CO2: reading the signals together

Humidity alone does not tell the whole story. A home at 65% relative humidity and 21°C is very different from one at 65% and 14°C, where cold walls are likely to reach the dew point. Adding CO2 measurement shows whether rooms are ventilated enough: high CO2 levels at night often mean windows and trickle vents are closed and moisture from breathing, cooking and drying clothes has nowhere to go. NEXELEC indoor air quality sensors such as RISE, WAVE or SENSE combine temperature, humidity and CO2 in a single device, giving housing teams the relevant information to identify the cause of the risk and agree practical steps with the tenant.

The Benefits of LoRaWAN Monitoring for Housing Associations

The network technology behind a sensor matters as much as the sensor itself. LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is particularly well suited to large social portfolios:

• Long range and good building penetration: signals reach through walls and floors, making it suitable for blocks of flats, basements and street properties.
• Very low power use: battery-powered devices can run for years, which limits return visits to tenants' homes.
• No reliance on tenants' Wi-Fi: sensors connect independently, avoiding issues with home routers or broadband contracts.
• Scalability: a single LoRaWAN gateway can cover hundreds of devices, using public or private networks depending on the landlord's strategy.
• Open standard: LoRaWAN is supported by a large ecosystem, so data can feed existing asset management systems in day-to-day use.

For housing associations rolling out humidity sensors for social housing across thousands of homes, these benefits mean lower installation costs, minimal disruption for tenants and reliable information over the long term.

How NEXELEC Supports Smarter Indoor Environment Monitoring

NEXELEC is a French manufacturer of connected sensors for indoor air quality measurement and monitoring, smoke and gas detection. Its solutions are designed for building managers and social landlords who need dependable, discreet and easy-to-deploy devices that ensure reliable data.

• FEEL temperature and humidity sensor: FEEL is a compact 2-in-1 LoRaWAN room sensor that measures indoor temperature and relative humidity, with a battery life of more than 10 years announced by the manufacturer, depending on configuration and operating conditions. It is quick to configure via NFC, making it well suited to occupied homes.
• Indoor air quality sensors: where ventilation is a concern, the RISE, WAVE, SIGN, SENSE and ATMO ranges also measure CO2, helping show whether rooms are adequately ventilated.
• NAVIXIS platform: the NAVIXIS IoT platform helps teams collect sensor data, follow each property in real time and trigger alerts.
• Fire and CO safety: NEXELEC also designs smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, so landlords can address several HHSRS hazards with one supplier.
• Interoperable data: NEXELEC devices work with leading LoRaWAN networks and IoT infrastructure, so data can be integrated into the landlord's existing tools and alert workflows to ensure a fast response.

Combined with clear alert thresholds and a defined response process, NEXELEC sensors help teams move from reactive repairs to preventive management of condensation and excess cold.

Preparing for Awaab's Law 2026: Practical Steps for Social Landlords

To be ready before Phase 2 comes into force on 30 November 2026, social landlords can take the following steps:

1. Map risk across the portfolio: use stock condition data, complaint history, relevant guidance and property types to identify homes most exposed to condensation and excess cold.
2. Start with targeted deployments: install sensors first in the highest-priority homes and in properties with recurring reports, then use the results to make the case for wider roll-out.
3. Align alerts with the legal timeframes: connect sensor alerts to your triage process to ensure every significant hazard is investigated within the required working days, and every emergency hazard within 24 hours.
4. Train staff and every contractor: make sure teams know how to read the data, record their decisions and share relevant knowledge on the same working day.
5. Communicate with tenants: explain the purpose of the sensors, what is measured and how data is used, in line with UK GDPR. Temperature and humidity sensors do not record sound or images.
6. Review heating and ventilation: combine monitoring data with practical works such as TRVs, extractor fans, insulation and heating upgrades.
7. Keep written records: retain data, investigation notes, contractor reports and each written summary to show compliance with the regulations and the guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Awaab's Law apply to private landlords?Awaab's Law currently applies to social landlords in England. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives the government a power to extend similar requirements to the private rented sector in the future.

Are sensors required under Awaab's Law?No. The regulations set timeframes and record-keeping requirements, not specific technologies. Sensors are a practical way to identify hazards earlier and support compliance with the guidance.

What humidity level indicates a condensation problem?As a rule of thumb, relative humidity consistently above 60–70%, especially in cold rooms, significantly increases the likelihood of condensation and fungal growth.

What is an emergency hazard under Awaab's Law?An emergency hazard is a hazard that poses an imminent and significant risk of harm to the tenant's health or safety. Under Awaab's Law, the landlord must investigate an emergency hazard and carry out emergency safety work within 24 hours. Examples of an emergency include a gas leak, a total loss of heating in very cold weather or an unsafe electrical installation.

What happens during an Awaab's Law investigation?An Awaab's Law investigation is an assessment of the property to establish whether a hazard is present and how serious it is. The regulations allow the investigation to be carried out by a competent person, and the law requires the landlord to share the investigation findings with the tenant. Sensor data can support the investigation by showing how temperature and humidity have changed over time.

What support is available to help landlords comply with Awaab's Law?The government's non-statutory guidance, the Housing Ombudsman's learning resources and sector bodies such as the National Housing Federation all provide support. The law and the regulations do not require any specific technology, but connected sensors give landlords the knowledge and evidence required to show that each investigation, emergency response and repair was handled in line with Awaab's Law.

When does Phase 2 of Awaab's Law start?Phase 2 is scheduled to start on 30 November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval, and extends the same deadlines to excess cold, excess heat, falls, fire, electrical and other hazards.

Conclusion

Awaab's Law 2026 raises the bar for social landlords: more hazards in scope, strict timeframes and a clear expectation of evidence-based decisions. For every social landlord, the law now requires a prompt investigation of each emergency and significant hazard, backed by reliable information. Smart temperature and humidity sensors give housing associations and local authorities the early warning and the information they need to ensure homes stay safe and to prevent damp, mould and excess cold before they cause harm to tenants.

Want to find out how NEXELEC sensors can support your damp and mould monitoring strategy? Contact our team or request a quote to discuss your project.