The State of Social Housing: Continuous Flooding, Damp, Mould and Over-Crowding

The Housing Ombudsman receives 25 complaints every 25 seconds, nationally, over slum-like living conditions experienced by social housing tenants. Conditions in London have sparked a parliamentary inquiry into the condition of homes in England, supported by concerning evidence given to MPs. 

England’s social housing system is supposed to provide a warm, safe roof over the heads of some of the most vulnerable groups in our country; however, a recent parliamentary enquiry has uncovered severe systemic failures by landlords and local authorities who have allowed living conditions to become so bad that their tenants could no longer live there.  

Continuous floods, leaks and structural damage 

One tenant, Desmond, was forced to move out of his Islington flat due to continuous flooding in his home, causing him to bundle all his belongings into just one room to keep them dry. The flooding became so severe that it impacted the electrics and even the structural integrity of the building, leading to partial collapse of the ceiling. 

Desmond said about the state of his flat: "Every time it rains, water leaks from the ceiling from the roof into my neighbours and then it comes into mine, into the electrics, and then all the lights go out. But before there was a leak...in the bathroom, and while I was sitting in the bathroom, the whole ceiling collapsed on me." 

Describing the impact of living in such conditions, Desmond said: “I'm on antidepressants because of the trauma of the ceiling collapsing on me twice, and I'm couch surfing, and it's like, what can I really say?"  

Your property must be habitable 

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, tenants have the right to live in a property that is fit for human habitation at the beginning of their tenancy and throughout. This requires private and social landlords to act on complaints within a reasonable timeframe. 

A landlord failing to act within a reasonable timeframe may cause tenants serious health and safety risks. The Social Housing (Regulation) Act, passed in 2023, increased regulations on social landlords and is designed to protect tenants from serious harm due to disrepair and home hazards, such as mould and damp, water damage, and structural defects. 

While the Peabody housing association claimed they are working with Desmond on the ongoing problems within his flat, Desmond cannot live in his home whilst still paying rent. 

Awaab’s Law 

Adding to the landlord's responsibilities, Awaab's Law, which came into effect in October 2025, provides increased protection for those in council and social housing owned properties dealing with mould exposure and unsafe living conditions. 

Awaab's Law was passed in 2023 as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It is named after Awaab Ishak, a two- year- old boy who lost his life due to mould exposure while living in social housing in December 2020. 

Since this tragic event, local authorities, social housing providers and management companies have come under increasing social and legal pressure to respond to complaints in a suitable amount of time and to offer better solutions that get to the root cause of issues for their tenants. 

The Law will be gradually phased over the next two years. In the meantime, landlords are urged to get ready for the changes. 

Landlords and tenants should be aware of the following milestones: 

• October 2025: Landlords must address damp and mould hazards in a fixed timescale and perform emergency repairs, including those linked to damp and mould, within 24 hours. 
• 2026: Initial requirements will be extended to include other serious hazards, such as excess cold and heat, structural issues, fire, electrical problems, and hygiene hazards. 
• 2027: The Law will be extended to include all remaining hazards defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), excluding overcrowding. 

A need for change 

Speaking on the treatment of the most vulnerable groups in society, Housing Campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa said: “ Some of the most vulnerable in society…are being subject to the most disgraceful conditions a lack of empathy a lack of human decency and respect and I'm seeing a lot of this under local authorities and I've been saying this for years things need to change." 

Raising a complaint with the Housing Ombudsman 

The state of social housing across England has worsened year on year, highlighted by numbers released by the Housing Ombudsman (HOS) revealing that it receives 25 complaints every 25 seconds, across the country. When a landlord fails to provide a safe environment, tenants can turn to other options, such as contacting HOS or seeking legal advice for a housing disrepair claim. 

HOS is an independent and impartial public body that can issue long-overdue tenant and landlord dispute complaints. With a 73% uphold rate of complaints that result in maladministration, many HOS judgements find that the landlord has failed a legal, policy or process requirement. 

Premier Legal Assist are on hand to help 

If you are living with disrepair and your landlord has not taken the appropriate measures to keep you safe, or has not acted within a reasonable timeframe, you may be entitled to make a claim for repairs and, in some cases, compensation.   

Premier Legal Assist can connect you with specialist housing disrepair lawyers who operate on a 'no-win, no-fee' basis. Our panel of specialist lawyers has years of experience dealing with local councils and housing associations across the UK. 

To find out if you are eligible to make a 'no-win, no-fee' claim, complete our short form, and a team member will be in touch.