What does Awaab's Law mean and why does it matter?
Damp and mould aren’t just inconvenient maintenance problems - they’re serious risks to tenant health, regulatory compliance, and the reputation of housing providers. Nearly 1 in 7 social homes in England failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard in 2023¹. On top of that, the NHS is estimated to spend £1.4 billion a year treating health issues related to cold, damp housing².
And yet, more than half of tenants experiencing condensation, damp or mould don’t report it. Often, they don’t recognise the early signs, or they simply don’t believe they’ll be taken seriously. This silence leaves landlords in the dark and turns small, fixable issues into expensive, high-risk problems.
From October, social landlords will be legally required to fix emergency hazards within 24 hours and investigate and repair dangerous damp and mould within set timeframes, under new legislation known as Awaab’s Law. Introduced in memory of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his social housing, the law represents a major step toward improving housing safety and quality. It allows tenants to take legal action if landlords fail to comply and will be rolled out in phases, beginning with damp and mould, to ensure effective implementation. This approach aims to deliver meaningful, lasting change while honouring the efforts of Awaab’s family to secure justice. Awaab’s Law also supports the government’s broader plan for change, which includes a commitment to building 1.5 million new homes and delivering the biggest improvement to social and affordable housing in a generation.
The challenge: strained teams & outdated systems
Most housing providers care deeply about tenant safety. The problem isn’t willingness—it’s capacity. Maintenance teams, IT departments, and customer contact centres are already stretched thin. Spotting early-stage issues requires tools they simply don’t have.
Traditional, manual inspections are expensive and slow. Reactive workflows leave little room to get ahead of problems. And despite growing demand for proactive service, only 13% of customers actually receive it. The systems many teams rely on today are fragmented, outdated, and not fit for the pressures of a post-Awaab world.
The solution: Active Assessor by 8x8
This is where Active Assessor steps in. Developed by 8x8, it’s a quick and cost-effective way for housing providers to detect early warning signs of damp and mould before they become urgent—and expensive - issues. Tenants receive a short, simple survey via SMS, asking yes-or-no questions designed to flag signs like condensation, black mould spots, or damp walls. There’s no need for an app or even a smartphone. It’s easy to complete from anywhere - at home or on the move—and integrates directly with the 8x8 Contact Centre. That means your team can triage issues quickly, prioritise urgent cases, and follow up faster than ever before.
How Active Assessor works
Active Assessor does more than just collect information. It automates much of the follow-up process, reducing admin time and eliminating bottlenecks. For more complex issues, tenants can be invited to use a secure, one-way video link that allows teams to see what’s going on without sending someone out. A recent pilot with Platform Housing showed that 39% of issues could be resolved remotely using this method - cutting down on costly site visits, reducing out-of-hours callouts, and helping engineers arrive better prepared when a visit is needed.
Results that matter
As regulation tightens and expectations rise, housing providers are under growing pressure to prove that their homes meet quality standards. Active Assessor helps by capturing valuable data about property conditions and tenant engagement. This insight can be used to plan maintenance more effectively, respond faster, and report confidently to regulators and stakeholders.
Smarter technology for safer homes
Active Assessor helps housing organisations take control. It transforms how issues are reported, assessed, and resolved—reducing cost, improving service delivery, and keeping tenants safe and heard. Most importantly, it helps you meet the demands of Awaab’s Law before problems escalate, ensuring faster fixes, healthier homes, and better peace of mind for everyone involved.
Stay ahead of regulation
Meet - and exceed - expectations under:
✅ Awaab’s Law
✅ Decent Homes Standard
✅ Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023
✅ Ombudsman Code of Practice
Ready to modernise your housing response?
Book a personalised demo here and discover how Active Assessor can work for your organisation.
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1.Housing Ombudsman Service Reports
2.BRE Trust: The Cost of Poor Housing (2022)
3.Custify: Proactive Customer Support Trends (2024)
