Planned portfolio insight

Stock Condition & Awaab’s Law Readiness Surveys

Structured visual assessments that help housing providers identify and prioritise property risks.

Dampsafe provides planned, observation-based property-condition surveys supported by consistent reporting, photographic evidence and clear referral of concerns requiring further investigation.

Visibility across housing stock

A clearer evidence base for planning, prioritisation and referral

Dampsafe provides planned, observation-based property-condition surveys supported by structured reporting and photographic evidence.

Awaab’s Law Phase 1 currently covers all emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards in qualifying social housing. From 30 November 2026, Phase 2 extends the significant-hazard requirements to specified additional hazards, including excess cold and heat, falls, fire and explosions, electrical hazards, structural collapse and domestic hygiene hazards.

Our readiness surveys help housing providers record visible concerns, identify properties requiring further investigation and build a clearer evidence base across their stock.

The scope is agreed before mobilisation so the survey, reporting fields, referral thresholds and programme outputs reflect the housing provider’s operational requirements.

What the Survey Records

The survey records agreed visual property-condition indicators, including damp and mould and the additional hazard groups relevant to Awaab’s Law Phase 2. The exact fields and level of detail are set within the programme scope.

Damp, mould and condensation

Visible growth, staining, moisture indicators, affected locations and relevant environmental conditions.

Ventilation and thermal indicators

Visible ventilation provision, cold surfaces and conditions that may require further investigation.

Falls and access concerns

Visible concerns around stairs, steps, level changes, guarding and circulation areas.

Fire and electrical indicators

Visible warning signs recorded for appropriate review rather than treated as a specialist technical assessment.

Structural and external condition

Visible deterioration, movement, defects or external concerns that may require repair or specialist assessment.

Hygiene and property services

Visible concerns relating to water, drainage, sanitation, food safety or domestic hygiene within the agreed scope.

An agreed readiness survey does not automatically constitute a full technical HHSRS assessment across all 29 hazard categories. It is a structured visual assessment used to record warning signs, identify priorities and direct properties towards the appropriate next action.
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Awaab’s Law Phase 1 and Phase 2

Awaab’s Law applies to qualifying social housing in England. The phased expansion affects which significant hazards are subject to the prescribed investigation, communication and repair timeframes.

Phase 1 now in force

All potential emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards are already within the current statutory framework.

Excess cold and heat

Phase 2 adds significant hazards arising from excess cold and excess heat from 30 November 2026.

Falls

Specified falls hazards, including falls on the level, on stairs and between levels, enter scope in Phase 2.

Fire, explosions and electrical hazards

Significant hazards within these groups are included from the Phase 2 commencement date.

Structural collapse

Visible concerns can be recorded and escalated, with technical assessment completed by the appropriate specialist.

Domestic hygiene

Phase 2 includes domestic and personal hygiene and food-safety hazards where they present a significant risk of harm.

Dampsafe supports evidence gathering and referral. The social landlord remains responsible for deciding whether a reported condition may be a significant or emergency hazard, completing the required investigation and ensuring every statutory action is completed.
Read the official Phase 2 guidance
View the government’s Awaab’s Law collection
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Scope and Specialist Referral

These are visual, observation-based assessments. They do not replace electrical testing, gas-safety inspections, asbestos surveys, structural engineering reports, fire-risk assessments or other specialist investigations.

Where a potential concern falls outside Dampsafe’s technical scope, it is photographed, recorded and referred to the client for appropriate specialist assessment. This helps ensure that visible warning signs are not missed or left unreported.

Damp and mould observations are considered within Dampsafe’s relevant competence. Where a property requires a detailed diagnosis rather than a readiness survey, a separate damp and mould compliance survey can be instructed.

View damp and mould compliance surveys
Suggested caption: Visible warning signs are recorded and referred for the appropriate technical assessment where required.
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How Survey Programmes Are Delivered

Residential properties included within a Dampsafe stock condition survey programme
Planned geographical clustering can reduce travel, cost and disruption across a wider survey programme.

Dampsafe plans survey visits geographically, grouping properties into practical clusters according to location, access arrangements and the reporting scope.

Planned clustering can substantially reduce the cost and disruption of obtaining consistent property-condition information across older, rural or geographically dispersed stock.

Where reactive mould attendance or associated work is already required in the same area, programmes can be co-ordinated to make better use of travel and local delivery capacity. The professional scope and record for each service remain clearly identified.

A programme can begin with a defined pilot area, allowing the housing provider to test the reporting format, access process and referral thresholds before a wider rollout.

Read about working in occupied homes
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Reporting and Portfolio Evidence

Reporting is designed to give housing teams consistent, practical information that can support programme oversight, case management and prioritisation.

The exact report, data fields, priority categories and summary outputs are agreed before mobilisation. This allows the programme to reflect the client’s systems and decision-making requirements.

Reports record what was visible at the time of attendance. They do not present untested observations as confirmed technical diagnoses.

Suggested caption: A consistent reporting structure helps housing teams compare findings and identify properties requiring further action.

Property record

A structured record of the agreed visual indicators observed during the visit.

Photographic evidence

Dated, location-specific images supporting recorded concerns and referrals.

Priority flagging

Clear identification of concerns requiring prompt review or further action.

Specialist referral

Visible concerns outside Dampsafe’s scope directed to the appropriate client or specialist route.

Consistent format

Standardised fields that support comparison and programme monitoring across multiple properties.

Programme summary

Portfolio-level outputs can be agreed to help identify patterns, workload and emerging priorities.

A readiness-survey report supports the client’s evidence base and directs follow-on action. It does not replace the landlord’s complete property records, statutory decisions or responsibility for completing every necessary investigation and repair.
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Who This Service Supports

The service is suited to organisations seeking better visibility across multiple homes rather than a detailed diagnosis of one isolated property.

Social landlords

Preparing their stock, systems and referral routes for Awaab’s Law Phase 2.

Housing and asset teams

Building a clearer evidence base across older or mixed-condition housing stock.

Rural and dispersed portfolios

Using planned geographical clusters to improve programme efficiency and coverage.

Principal contractors

Requiring consistent visual surveying, photographic evidence and referral support.

Managing agents and facilities teams

Seeking structured property-condition information across managed residential portfolios.

Pilot and mobilisation programmes

Testing a defined area before expanding to a larger stock-condition or readiness programme.

Private landlords, managing agents and facilities managers can use the service as an evidence-led property-condition programme. Awaab’s Law itself applies to qualifying social housing in England; this page does not imply a confirmed private-rented-sector extension date.
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Programme Scope and Pricing

Survey programmes are priced according to the agreed scope, number and location of properties, access arrangements, reporting requirements and the number of visits that can be completed within each geographical cluster.

Planned, high-volume programmes can achieve a substantially lower cost per property than individual reactive surveys. Contact Dampsafe for a programme price based on your housing stock and reporting requirements.

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Ready to Build Visibility Across Your Housing Stock?

Speak to Dampsafe about a pilot in a defined area or a structured survey programme across a wider geography.

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