Awaab's Law evidence checklist for social landlords

Damp and mould evidence checklist

A practical checklist for evidence teams preparing damp, mould and emergency hazard records for operational review.

EvidenceTrail supports evidence gathering and review. It does not guarantee legal compliance. It does not guarantee regulator acceptance, Ombudsman findings, or litigation outcomes.

Phase 2 update

Phase 2 announced for Oct 2026: see what changes.

Why evidence completeness matters

Awaab's Law phase 1 makes social-landlord evidence teams track when the landlord became aware of a relevant issue, what investigation happened, what the tenant was told, what work was completed, and what remains blocked or pending.

Current public guidance frames phase 1 from 27 October 2025 around damp and mould and emergency hazards. Evidence teams should preserve records for investigation within 10 working days, written summaries within 3 working days of the investigation concluding, relevant safety works within 5 working days where required, and emergency responses within 24 hours. Later Awaab's Law phases are expected to broaden the hazard scope from 2026, so this checklist separates damp and mould evidence from wider hazard-readiness evidence.

This page is an operational checklist, not legal advice or a substitute for landlord policy, legal review, or case-specific professional judgement.

Evidence checklist

Damp and mould report evidence

  • Awareness timestamp and source of report.
  • Tenant vulnerability, household risk, and access needs recorded.
  • Photos, inspection notes, humidity or sensor data where available.
  • Reason the case is or is not treated as a significant hazard.

Emergency hazard evidence

  • 24-hour response trigger and make-safe decision record.
  • Immediate risk assessment, attendance, and completion evidence.
  • Temporary accommodation decision where the home cannot be made safe.
  • Follow-on work ownership and deadline tracking.

Tenant communication evidence

  • Written summary content, sent timestamp, and delivery channel.
  • Advice given to the tenant and any support or adjustments needed.
  • Complaint, call-centre, inbox, and proof-link records reconciled.
  • Clear separation between tenant statements and landlord findings.

Contractor and access evidence

  • Contractor appointment, attendance, completion, and photo evidence.
  • No-access attempts, contact method, and next appointment record.
  • Source system references for repairs, complaints, and contractor portals.
  • Pack review, redaction status, and outstanding evidence gaps.

Answer first

For damp and mould evidence review, preserve awareness, investigation, written summary, safety works, emergency response, tenant communication, access, contractor, and review-sign-off records with source-system references.

Treat this as an operational evidence checklist. It supports review and does not decide legal compliance or case outcomes.

Checklist sources checked

  1. GOV.UK Awaab's Law guidance for social landlords Jurisdiction/scope: England
  2. The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 Jurisdiction/scope: England
  3. Housing Ombudsman Awaab's Law learning resources Jurisdiction/scope: England

Review sign-off

EvidenceTrail supports evidence gathering and operational review. It does not guarantee legal compliance, regulator acceptance, Ombudsman findings, or litigation outcomes.

Checklist FAQ

What damp and mould evidence should a social landlord preserve?

Preserve awareness, inspection, tenant, contractor, access, and review records.

Does this checklist guarantee Awaab's Law compliance?

No. This operational checklist does not guarantee compliance or case outcomes.

Official sources to review