Awaab’s Law
Awaab’s Law sets clear timescales for social landlords to investigate and resolve serious hazards, including damp and mould. At Bernicia, we are committed to acting quickly to keep our customers safe and ensure their homes are healthy places to live.
Contact Us
If you need to contact us about damp and/or mould, anti-social behaviour, safeguarding, a Telecare problem, or any other emergency situation, please call us first. This helps us understand your situation and arrange any urgent action that may be needed.
If you cannot call, you can use the contact us form and we will get back to you.
For emergencies, please call: 0344 800 3800
Awaab’s Law
Awaab’s Law sets legal time limits for social landlords to investigate and deal with emergency hazards and serious damp and mould in tenants’ homes.
The law came into force on 27 October 2025. It gives tenants stronger protection and helps make sure homes are safe and healthy.
At Bernicia, we take reports of hazards, damp and mould seriously. We have a dedicated damp and mould team, and our colleagues and contractors are trained to spot and report concerns.
We work to prevent problems wherever possible. When an issue is reported, we will act quickly and keep tenants informed.
What this means for tenants
Emergency hazards
If an issue poses an immediate and serious risk, we will:
- Investigate and make the home safe within 24 hours
- Provide a written summary within three working days of completing the investigation
If the home cannot be made safe within 24 hours, we will offer suitable alternative accommodation at no cost.
Serious damp and mould
Where damp or mould may pose a significant risk, we will:
- Investigate within ten working days
- Provide a written summary within three working days of completing the investigation
- Complete the work needed to make the home safe within five working days of the investigation
Preventing the problem from returning
If more work is needed to stop the problem from coming back, we will:
- Start the work, or take steps to arrange it, within five working days of completing the investigation
- Make sure all further work begins within 12 weeks
- Explain the expected timescale and complete the work as soon as reasonably possible
- Where follow on repairs are needed we will aim to deliver these in line with our repairs timescales
Keeping tenants safe and informed
Throughout the process, we will:
- Explain what we have found and what needs to happen next
- Provide updates about the work
- Explain any delays or changes
- Give advice on staying safe
- Offer suitable alternative accommodation if the home cannot be made safe within the required time
What tenants can do
Reporting concerns early helps us investigate and deal with problems before they get worse.
Tenants can also:
- Take simple steps to reduce everyday condensation
- Follow our safe cleaning guidance for small areas of surface mould, where they feel able to do so
- Ask us for help if they are unsure what to do
Cleaning visible mould does not remove the need to report the problem. We still need to understand what is causing it and whether further work is needed.
Watch our step-by-step home maintenance videos.
Report damp or mould
Tenants should report any signs of damp or mould as soon as they notice them.
They do not need to decide how serious the problem is before contacting us. We will assess the issue and explain what will happen next.
Tell us straight away – contact us
If you spot any of these signs, please get in touch:
- Always try to call us first: 0344 800 3800
- If you can’t call us, please use our online form and choose damp and/or mould from the list: online form
When you call us about damp or mould, we will ask you some questions. This helps us understand:
- How bad the damp or mould is
- If anyone in your home has health problems
- If anyone in your home needs extra support (like young children, elderly people, or anyone with breathing problems)
Based on your answers, we will decide how urgently we need to visit you.
Further help and support
Find more information about:
- Damp and mould advice
- Our dampness and condensation management policy
- Maintenance responsibilities
- The Bernicia repairs leaflet
Here you can watch two short videos that explain more about damp, condensation and mould, and how they can affect your health and your home.
Damp, condensation and mould: what it is and how to report it
How to keep your home free from damp, condensation and mould
You can help reduce condensation by:
- Using extractor fans or opening windows when cooking or bathing
- Wiping away moisture on windows or tiles
- Leaving space between furniture and walls
- Drying clothes outdoors if possible
If any of these are hard to do, please tell us — we’ll work with you to find a way that suits your home.
We have a leaflet with simple tips to help keep your home free from damp, condensation and mould.
Every home is different, so if the advice in the leaflet doesn’t work for you, please get in touch and we’ll help you find another solution.
Our commitment
We are committed to meeting the requirements of Awaab’s Law and continuing to improve our services.
Our aim is to make sure every home is safe, healthy and well maintained, and that tenants receive clear information and support when they report a problem.
Looking ahead
Awaab’s Law is being introduced in stages. Future stages will extend the requirements to a wider range of hazards that could affect tenants’ health and safety.
We are reviewing our processes and preparing for these changes so we can continue to provide safe, high-quality homes and respond quickly when concerns are reported.
