Ben Wallbank at Trimble explains why the compliance challenge is as much about data as it is about maintenance, and how digital technology can help housing providers stay ahead.
Awaab’s Law came into force at the end of October 2025, born out of the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020 due to respiratory issues caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home. Applying directly to social housing landlords, including local authorities and housing associations, its impact cascades across the supply chain. Contractors, surveyors and maintenance providers now need to work within much tighter timeframes, all supported by accurate reporting and transparent communication.
New level of accountability
Strict response times now apply. Under phase one, which focuses on damp and mould, landlords must investigate complaints within 10 working days and, for serious cases, begin remedial works or take temporary measures to make the home safe within five working days. Category one emergencies demand even faster action, whereby the investigation and work must both take place within 24 hours, or tenants need to be rehoused if the hazard cannot be controlled.
Beyond speed, landlords must be able to prove compliance, not just that the work was done but that it was done correctly, on time and that every step was documented, dated and verified.
Reality of maintenance management
For local authority housing teams already managing ageing stock, limited budgets and multiple regulations, Awaab’s Law adds further responsibility but also an opportunity to modernise. Many still rely on paper based inspections, spreadsheets and fragmented contractor systems, making it difficult to build a single view of compliance.
The new framework calls for a shift from reactive to evidence-led maintenance, requiring data consistency and connected systems to create a clear audit trail across everyone involved in managing and maintaining homes. In many ways, Awaab’s Law extends the ‘golden thread’ of data principle championed under the Building Safety Act, ensuring that every inspection, decision and action is traceable.
Turning information into assurance
Connected digital systems can transform how landlords handle both reactive and preventative maintenance. Many contractors across the UK already use cloud-based field tools, which allow teams to capture photographs, notes and timestamps directly onsite, even offline, syncing automatically once connected. This creates a transparent, time stamped audit trail that can be reviewed and shared instantly.
In practice, when a tenant reports damp or mould, every stage – from first inspection through to sign-off – can be tracked in one place, complete with images and updates. This approach also supports better communication between tenants and landlords, allowing faster updates and helping to rebuild trust through visible accountability.
Asking the right questions
When reviewing digital systems, landlords should look beyond basic functionality and ask how effectively each solution supports compliance.
Start with data security, does the provider hold recognised certifications and follow robust data protection protocols? Then consider workflow management – can it notify the right people when a serious hazard is raised, trigger relocation protocols where necessary and flag approaching or missed deadlines?
Onsite usability is equally important. A good system should allow field teams to log details directly into digital forms, capturing and tagging issue types, such as visible mould growth, its location and severity, the responsible contractor, and photographic and GPS evidence.
The most effective tools also enable issues to be linked to 2D plans, 3D models or 360° images, providing clear visual context. This protects both landlord and tenant by establishing what was observed and when. If a complaint later escalates, those time-stamped images form defensible evidence that the problem was properly addressed.
Finally, consider data longevity. Compliance isn’t just about capturing today’s repair; it’s about being able to access and interpret that data years later. With future phases of Awaab’s Law set to cover structural and fire safety hazards, housing providers will need systems that not only store files but also the associated decision making history – who made what call, when and on what evidence.
Landlords must set the standard
Many contractors and framework partners already use their own digital systems for inspection and reporting, but unless those systems align, the resulting data is fragmented, incomplete and difficult to audit.
It may be tempting for social landlords or councils to let contractors ‘get on with it’, but that approach risks losing oversight of compliance. Instead, it is advisable for housing providers to take the lead and establish a single, consistent method for data capture and reporting across their supply chain. That consistency turns multiple contractor inputs into one coherent audit trail, giving landlords a real-time view of risk, urgency and performance comparisons across assets.
From compliance to confidence
Awaab’s Law may have been driven by tragedy, but its intent is to build a safer, more transparent housing system. For social landlords, that means moving beyond reactive repair towards measurable accountability, where every inspection, decision and repair is captured, evidenced and auditable.
Digital tools make that possible, transforming compliance from a paper or disconnected system into a process of continuous assurance. Ultimately, this isn’t just about meeting statutory deadlines, it’s about creating homes that are safe, healthy and demonstrably well managed.
Ben Wallbank is digital strategy & partnerships manager EMEA at Trimble