Wednesday 28 May – Awaab's Law, due to be implemented in October 2025, is crucial progress in ensuring the safety and well-being of residents. Yet its full implementation is pending as the government finalises the operational timeframes for landlords. The current guidance states that Awaab’s Law will require social landlords to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould in set time periods (still unknown) and repair all emergency hazards within 24 hours. However, as noted by Christian Weaver, Barrister, who represented Awaab Ishak’s family during the inquest into his tragic death, “deadlines must be realistic, ensuring issues are properly resolved, but robust enough to prevent delays that could harm tenants”.
While further clarity is required, social landlords must act now in order to implement robust solutions ahead of October. Switchee, with Basildon Council, CHP, and Guinness Housing Partnership have already taken proactive steps to address damp and mould hazards.
In social homes across the UK, Switchee’s Mould iQ service is continuously checking the properties for mould-inducing conditions. Residents and these social landlords now have the confidence and peace of mind that their homes are safe, and in the event of any risk, Mould iQ is there to detect and fully resolve the issue. Mould iQ is a fully managed solution to help UK social housing landlords monitor, detect and treat mould in properties. This end-to-end solution, powered by Switchee’s industry-leading mould algorithm, device and AI diagnosis, supports compliance with Awaab’s Law requirements to ensure the health and well-being of residents, and the long-term integrity of the property.
Central to Awaab’s Law is keeping regular communication between the resident and social landlord, with the resident fully aware of the actions the landlord is taking and why. Mould iQ places the resident at the centre with easy, secure two-way communication that achieves a 92% engagement rate via the smart device. Removing the need for costly and time-intensive in-person visits, Mould iQ’s AI service is available 24/7, meeting the needs to be fully flexible and available at the resident’s convenience.
Tom Robins, CEO of Switchee, said:
“At Switchee, our mission is to improve the quality of life for residents in social housing, and Mould iQ represents a significant leap forward in this effort. By leveraging real-time data and advanced AI, we’re able to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach, preventing mould before it becomes a major issue. This solution not only supports compliance with Awaab’s Law but also ensures that residents are living in healthier, safer homes.
We’re proud to be helping housing associations reduce their workload, lower costs, and, most importantly, protect the long-term integrity of their properties.”
David George, Sustainability & Asset Data Manager at Chelmer Housing Partnership, said:
“At CHP, we look for innovative solutions to improve the quality of life for our residents. Given the urgency of Awaab’s Law, partnering with Switchee and implementing a trial of Mould iQ has allowed us to proactively tackle mould issues in a way that’s both efficient and effective. The AI-driven solution should make a real difference, working to address problems before they escalate, improve resident satisfaction, and stay ahead of upcoming legislation.”
To learn more about how Switchee is working with UK social housing providers to meet Awaab's Law obligations and ensure residents are living in safe, mould-free homes, contact our team today.
