UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / October 20, 2026 / Social landlords risk meeting Awaab’s Law deadlines without resolving the underlying causes of damp and mould unless shortages of competent surveyors are addressed, the Federation of Damp has warned.

Responding to the Government’s Phase 1 “Test and Learn” research, the organisation said pressure to demonstrate compliance must be matched by the expertise and capacity to diagnose problems accurately and deliver lasting repairs.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and carried out by Verian, the research is based on interviews with tenants and focus groups with social landlords across England. Emergency hazards, it found, were largely manageable within the statutory 24-hour window. 

Damp and mould were a different story: cases may drag, often needing more complex diagnosis and several trades coordinated to fix the problem rather than just respond to it.

Workforce shortages came up repeatedly, with surveyors and specialist trades singled out as a specific pinch point limiting how fast landlords could move. And the report flags something truly concerning: when capacity runs short and guidance is unclear, there's a real risk organisations end up focused on proving they've complied rather than on truly fixing what's wrong in the home.

Sam Fitzgerald, founder of the Federation of Damp, said the report raises red flags, noting, "Damp surveying isn't a regulated profession. Anyone can call themselves a damp surveyor with no training at all. The report is picking up exactly the problem that creates: landlords are watching two clocks without always having the right people in front of the problem.

"What worries me most is how often the conclusion is decided before anyone arrives. 'Condensation, resident lifestyle' is the cheapest possible answer for a landlord, which is exactly why it should be evidenced rather than assumed."

Mindful of the introduction of Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law on 30 November, Fitzgerald added, "Responding quickly and responding correctly are two different things, and only one of them is being counted. Phase 2 adds seven more hazard types onto teams already stretched on damp. If competence doesn't scale alongside the deadlines, landlords will keep hitting every timescale without really fixing the problem."

The Federation of Damp works with housing providers and local authorities to build surveying capacity through its structured, City & Guilds Assured training and certification programmes, aimed at closing the competence gap the Government's own research has now identified.

For more information, please visit federationofdamp.co.uk.