[Podcast] Beyond Compliance: What Awaab's Law Really Asks of Housing

Podcast by The Housing Shift with Raj Rajendram

03 December 2025: In this episode of The Housing Shift, host Raj Rajendram sits down with Tom Robins, CEO of Switchee, to unpack the real implications of Awaab’s Law - and why the sector must think far beyond minimum compliance if it wants to deliver safe, healthy homes.

Tom argues that while the legislation sets critical baselines for addressing damp, mould and other hazards, the bigger shift is about recognising residents as individuals whose vulnerabilities, circumstances and lived experiences must shape landlord responses.

Together, Raj and Tom explore:

• Why compliance shouldn’t become a ceiling
• The danger of an asset-first mindset
• Why understanding residents, not just properties, is key to preventing harm
• The need to join up vulnerability assessment with asset management
• The data gaps holding the sector back — and how to close them
• How housing must evolve if it’s to meet the expectations (and obligations) embedded in Awaab’s Law

A conversation about purpose, risk, accountability, and the human reality behind legislation.

🔗 Resources mentioned: One size does not fit all: Putting people before process under Awaab’s Law

This episode is sponsored by Service Charge Pro — the platform helping housing teams fix messy, spreadsheet-based service charges. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠www.brx-technology.co.uk⁠