The short answer
If you rent from a council or housing association, report damp and mould to your landlord, then use their formal complaints procedure if it is not fixed, and finally the Housing Ombudsman. Under Awaab’s Law (Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023), social landlords must investigate damp and mould hazards within set timescales and act promptly on emergencies. The Ombudsman can order repairs, an apology and compensation. This is general information, not legal advice.
Social tenants — council and housing-association renters — have a distinct and strengthened route for damp and mould complaints, shaped by the tragic death of Awaab Ishak and the law that followed. This guide explains the complaints ladder, what Awaab’s Law requires, and how the Housing Ombudsman fits in. It applies to England; other UK nations have their own regulators.
Social complaints at a glance
- Step 1 Report to the landlord — in writing
- Step 2 Formal complaint (landlord’s procedure)
- Step 3 Housing Ombudsman
- Key law Awaab’s Law — Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023
- Duty Investigate hazards within set timescales
- Ombudsman can order Repairs, apology, compensation
The social-housing complaints ladder
Social tenants follow a clear sequence. First, report the damp and mould to your landlord — in writing, with photos — and give them the chance to investigate and repair. If they fail to act, raise a formal complaint through the landlord’s own complaints procedure, which usually has defined stages and deadlines. If you remain dissatisfied after exhausting that procedure (or after a reasonable time), you can take the case to the Housing Ombudsman. Unlike private tenants, council tenants cannot use council HHSRS enforcement against their own landlord, so this complaints-and-Ombudsman route is the main one — see how to report damp to the council for the private-renting contrast.
Awaab’s Law: investigation timescales
Following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from prolonged mould exposure, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 introduced Awaab’s Law. From October 2025 it requires social landlords in England to investigate reported damp and mould hazards within set timescales, to begin repairs within a further set period, and to act promptly on emergencies that present a significant risk to health or safety. The duty is being implemented in phases, and exact timescales are set out in the regulations and statutory guidance — check the current detail rather than relying on remembered day-counts. See Awaab’s Law explained.
| Stage | What the landlord must do |
|---|---|
| Hazard reported | Investigate within the set timescale |
| Investigation findings | Provide a written summary to the tenant |
| Repairs needed | Begin works within the required period |
| Emergency hazard | Act promptly to make safe |
The Housing Ombudsman
The Housing Ombudsman investigates complaints against social landlords once their internal complaints process is exhausted. Its 2021 “Spotlight on damp and mould” report urged landlords to shift from blaming tenant “lifestyle” to taking responsibility. The Ombudsman can find maladministration and order the landlord to apologise, carry out works and pay compensation. Its service is free to tenants.
Make your complaint count
- Keep a written log of every report, visit and promise, with dates.
- Use the landlord’s formal complaints procedure and note the stage and reference number.
- Mention vulnerable occupants and any health effects explicitly.
- If unresolved, refer to the Housing Ombudsman and get free help from Shelter or Citizens Advice.
Why the rules changed: the Awaab Ishak case
The strengthened duties on social landlords exist for a sobering reason. Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old living in a housing-association flat in Rochdale, died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould that had been repeatedly reported but not properly tackled. The coroner found the mould a contributing factor in his death and criticised the landlord’s response, including a tendency to attribute the problem to the family’s “lifestyle”. The case prompted both the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and the Housing Ombudsman’s wider push for landlords to take damp and mould seriously rather than blame tenants. For tenants today, the practical lesson is that you are entitled to expect prompt, properly resourced investigation and repair — not excuses — and that flagging vulnerable occupants and health concerns clearly raises the urgency in law. If a social landlord falls back on “lifestyle” or simply repaints over recurring mould without finding the cause, that is exactly the kind of response the new framework is designed to stop. Document everything, insist the cause is investigated, and escalate without hesitation if the timescales are missed.
This page is general information about the position in England in 2026 and is not legal advice. For your situation, contact the Housing Ombudsman, Shelter or a housing solicitor.
Use the complaints ladder
Report in writing, escalate through your landlord’s formal complaints procedure, then the Housing Ombudsman. Awaab’s Law puts firm timescales on social landlords — hold them to it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I complain about damp in a council or housing-association home?
Report it to your landlord in writing, then use their formal complaints procedure if it is not fixed, and finally the Housing Ombudsman. Awaab’s Law requires social landlords to investigate damp and mould hazards within set timescales.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, introduced after the death of Awaab Ishak. From October 2025 it requires social landlords in England to investigate damp and mould hazards within set timescales and act promptly on emergencies.
Can I report my council landlord to environmental health?
No — a council cannot enforce the HHSRS against itself. Council and housing-association tenants should use the landlord’s complaints process and the Housing Ombudsman instead.
What can the Housing Ombudsman do?
After your landlord’s complaints process is exhausted, the Ombudsman can investigate, find maladministration, and order the landlord to apologise, carry out repairs and pay compensation. The service is free.
Sources & further reading
- legislation.gov.uk — Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023
- GOV.UK — Awaab’s Law: guidance for social landlords
- Housing Ombudsman — Spotlight on damp and mould
- GOV.UK — Make a complaint about your council or housing association
This guide is general information, not a site-specific survey, medical advice or legal advice. Damp and mould should be assessed by a qualified surveyor, and health concerns discussed with a GP or the NHS.