Don't Just Comply. Prove It.
Awaab's Law. Consumer Standards. HHSRS. The regulatory pressure is real—and so is the need for defensible evidence. DMS was designed specifically to help you meet these obligations.
Understanding Awaab's Law
Named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died from a respiratory condition caused by mould in his family's housing association flat, Awaab's Law introduces strict timescales for social housing landlords to address damp and mould hazards.
Key Requirements
- 24 hours: Investigate emergency hazards after being made aware
- 10 working days: Provide written investigation findings to tenant
- 5 working days: Begin repairs for serious hazards (Category 1)
- Timely completion: Fix issues within reasonable timescales
Effective Date: 27 October 2025 for registered social housing providers.
Note: This is a summary for informational purposes. Consult the official legislation and legal advice for full requirements.
How DMS Supports Compliance
DMS provides the monitoring infrastructure and evidence documentation that helps housing providers meet their regulatory obligations.
Early Detection
Continuous monitoring identifies potential damp and mould conditions before they become serious hazards. Be proactive rather than reactive.
Mould risk alerts typically provide 24-72 hours advance warning.
Evidence Trail
Every reading is time-stamped and stored. Generate complete evidence packages showing environmental conditions over any period.
Defensible data for investigations and legal proceedings.
Automated Alerts
Configurable thresholds trigger immediate notifications. Ensure the right people know about issues as soon as they arise.
Email, SMS, and API webhook options available.
Trend Analysis
Identify patterns across your portfolio. Spot properties at risk before complaints are raised.
Portfolio-wide risk scoring and prioritisation.
Compliance Reports
Generate regulator-ready reports in seconds. Include sensor data, timelines, and action histories.
PDF and CSV export formats available.
Data Retention
Configurable retention periods ensure data is available when needed. Meet your record-keeping requirements.
Standard 2-year retention, extended options available.
The Full Regulatory Picture
Awaab's Law is just one piece. DMS is designed to help you demonstrate compliance across the full regulatory framework facing UK social housing.
Consumer Standards
The RSH's Consumer Standards require housing providers to demonstrate proactive management of stock condition and tenant safety.
- Safety & Quality Standard: Keep homes safe and in good repair
- Transparency Standard: Provide information tenants need
- Accountability: Demonstrate you're meeting obligations
How DMS helps: Continuous monitoring provides evidence of proactive stock management. Dashboard visibility demonstrates awareness and action.
HHSRS Hazards
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System identifies 29 hazard categories. DMS provides continuous monitoring for key environmental hazards plus centralised document management for all categories.
- 4 Hazards Monitored: Damp & mould, excess cold, excess heat, domestic hygiene
- 29 Categories Documented: Store certificates, reports, and inspection records for all hazard types
- Centralised Evidence: One platform for sensor data and compliance documents
How DMS helps: Combines real-time monitoring with document storage—your complete HHSRS compliance hub.
Disrepair Defence
Disrepair claims are rising. Solicitors are actively targeting housing providers. Your best defence is evidence.
- Timeline Evidence: When did conditions develop?
- Response Proof: When did you become aware and act?
- Tenant Behaviour: Was ventilation adequate?
How DMS helps: Tamper-evident audit trails that stand up to legal scrutiny.
Compliance Report Types
Generate the documentation you need for regulators, legal teams, insurance claims, or internal review.
Property Evidence Pack
Complete environmental history for a single property.
- All sensor readings over selected period
- Alert history and responses
- Mould risk scores over time
- Maintenance actions logged
Portfolio Health Report
Organisation-wide overview of stock condition.
- Properties ranked by risk score
- Trend analysis across portfolio
- Compliance status summary
- Recommended prioritisation
Legal/Regulatory Pack
Evidence bundle for investigations or claims.
- Timeline of environmental conditions
- Tenant communication records
- Response and action documentation
- Expert interpretation guidance
Audit Trail Integrity
For evidence to be credible, it must be tamper-proof and traceable. DMS is designed with data integrity at its core.
- Tamper-Evident Records: Sensor readings are logged with audit trails and tamper-evident exports available.
- Time-Stamped Data: All readings include precise timestamps synced to trusted time sources.
- Access Logging: Full audit log of who accessed what data and when.
- Encrypted Storage: Data encrypted at rest using AES-256.
- Secure Export: Cryptographic hashes available for exported data verification.
Data Retention Options
| Tier | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Standard | 2 years |
| Extended | 5 years |
| Enterprise | Custom (up to 10 years) |
Retention periods apply to raw sensor data. Summary reports can be retained indefinitely.
Compliance FAQs
Awaab's Law is part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, effective from 27 October 2025. It requires social housing landlords to investigate damp and mould hazards within 24 hours of being made aware, and to fix emergency hazards within set timescales. The law is named after Awaab Ishak, whose death from mould exposure highlighted the need for stronger housing standards.
DMS provides tools and evidence that support compliance efforts, but compliance ultimately depends on the actions of the housing provider. DMS helps by providing continuous monitoring, early warnings, and documented evidence trails. The platform is designed to make it easier to meet regulatory obligations, but cannot guarantee compliance outcomes.
DMS provides objective, time-stamped environmental data that can help establish facts in disrepair investigations. The data may show whether conditions were structural in nature or influenced by tenant behaviour (such as inadequate ventilation). This evidence can support fair resolution of claims. However, DMS data should be one part of a comprehensive investigation, not a substitute for professional assessment.
Data retention periods are configurable based on your subscription tier and requirements. Standard retention is 2 years, with options for 5-year or custom extended retention for compliance purposes. Summary reports and aggregate data can be retained indefinitely. Contact us to discuss your specific requirements.
DMS data is designed to be defensible evidence, with immutable records, precise timestamps, and full audit trails. Many housing providers use DMS reports in legal proceedings and regulatory investigations. However, the admissibility and weight of evidence is ultimately determined by the court or tribunal. We recommend working with legal advisors familiar with digital evidence standards.
Ready for Regulatory Readiness?
Start a pilot to see how DMS can support your compliance programme.