Awaab’s Law: Top three priorities for landlords and the tools that make compliance possible

From October 2025, Awaab’s Law changes everything. Landlords must now investigate damp and mould complaints within 10 days, provide written findings within three working days, and start remedial work within five working days, or 24 hours in emergencies.

For landlords and agents alike, this isn’t just another checklist. It’s a shift in mindset; from reactive property management to proactive risk prevention, supported by evidence, transparency, and trust, and having the right technology makes it achievable.

Here are the three key actions landlords must take right now, and how having the right tools can turn obligatory compliance into a competitive advantage.

1. Move from reactive response to proactive detection

The days of waiting for a tenant complaint are over. Under Awaab’s Law, speed matters but foresight matters more. Identifying risk before it becomes a legal issue protects tenants, budgets, and reputations.

What proactive landlords are doing:

• Implementing structured inspection schedules with standardised checklists.
• Equipping teams to log early indicators such as condensation or surface moisture.
• Deploying IoT sensors in high-risk areas to track humidity and temperature changes in real time.

How technology helps:

Platforms that manage properties at scale alongside facilities solutions can enable early detection, automate inspection scheduling, and capture photographic evidence during visits. Sensor integrations feed real-time alerts into dashboards, allowing teams to address small problems before they escalate into costly remediation or regulatory breaches

When you can see a problem forming before anyone complains, you’re already protecting both your residents and your reputation.

2. Build transparent, auditable workflows

With defined investigation and response timelines, the margin for administrative error is slim. Every inspection, contractor visit, and tenant update must be logged and traceable. Manual spreadsheets and email chains simply won’t hold up under regulatory scrutiny.

What proactive landlords are doing:

• Mapping every stage of the complaint journey, from first report to final repair.
• Assigning clear responsibilities and escalation triggers if deadlines are at risk.
• Storing documentation, from photos to contractor certificates, in one central, secure system.

How technology helps:

Digital workflow and case management tools automate task routing, flag approaching deadlines, and record every action with timestamps. Built-in audit trails provide defensible evidence for compliance reviews, while centralised document storage ensures that nothing gets lost between departments or contractors.

End-to-end solutions already support landlords and agents track repairs, monitor outcomes, and create digital audit trails ensuring compliance is consistent and demonstrable. In today’s environment, if it isn’t recorded, it didn’t happen. Automation isn’t just about efficiency but also about protection.

3. Create a Fast, Transparent Tenant Communication Loop

Awaab’s Law introduces clear expectations around tenant engagement: landlords must keep residents informed in writing, within defined timeframes. Beyond compliance, this transparency builds trust which is a crucial factor in long-term tenant satisfaction.

What proactive landlords are doing:

• Offering simple, digital channels for tenants to report issues which include portals, apps, or web forms.
• Sending automatic confirmations and updates as cases progress.
• Sharing written findings and next steps within three working days, supported by clear, accessible language.

How technology helps:

Tenant portals and CRM tools provide tenants with visibility into their requests while ensuring landlords can respond promptly and consistently. Automated notifications keep everyone updated, while two-way messaging captures communication history closing the loop between tenants, landlords, and contractors.

When residents can see that issues are logged, tracked, and resolved transparently, you don’t just meet regulation — you strengthen trust.

Building a future-ready framework

The reality is that Awaab’s Law is just the beginning. The framework is expected to expand between 2026 and 2027 to cover other health and safety hazards, including fire risks, asbestos, and excess cold. Landlords who establish digital-first processes today will be in a far better position to meet new framework requirements as and when they are implemented.

Future-ready landlords are already:

• Training staff and contractors through integrated e-learning and digital checklists.
• Auditing their data quality to ensure accurate tenant information and maintenance histories.
• Using analytics to spot recurring issues across portfolios and prioritising investment.

When compliance, technology, and culture come together, landlords not only meet legal requirements but build safer, smarter, and more sustainable housing portfolios.

Turning obligation into opportunity

We view compliance as a driver of operational excellence. Implementing the right tools means landlords can detect issues early, document them thoroughly, and communicate clearly. Awaab’s Law should remind us all that safe, healthy homes are the foundation of thriving communities. The landlords who take the chance now to modernise their operations will not only avoid penalties but set a new standard for professionalism in UK housing.

Compliance is not the end goal; it’s the baseline. The future belongs to landlords who turn regulation into reliability.

Dan Foryszewski is from MRI Software