For private landlords
Awaab's Law doesn't yet apply to private rentals,[7] but three other duties already do: Section 11 LTA 1985 (repair),[6] the Homes Fitness for Habitation Act 2018,[8] and council enforcement under the HHSRS (up to £30,000 civil penalty)[9]. Where you sit on the spectrum below changes what evidence you should be gathering — and how strong your defence is if a dispute reaches the Pre-Action Protocol.[11]
Before you decide
Your damp and mould obligations vary depending on where you stand in the legal timeline. Three scenarios — three different right approaches:
Visible mould, sustained damp, or a clear defect?
Maple kit — 14-day diagnostic
£249. disclosure-ready PDF report before the solicitor’s letter arrives.
Tenant complained but you’re not sure what’s really going on?
Maple kit — 14-day diagnostic
£249. Even a “no hazard found” report is defensive evidence.
No complaint yet — but you want ongoing visibility?
Maple monitoring — £49/mo
Per property. Always-on sensors. Monthly reports + alerts.
The cost of inaction
£8,000
Average disrepair claim
Settled out of court
£5,000–30k
HHSRS civil penalty — category 1 hazard
Local authority enforcement
£350+
Solicitor letter — first response
Before you've even replied
£249
Maple Diagnostics 14-day kit
Evidence. Report. Done.
How it works
Choose your kit. Sensors are dispatched same day via tracked delivery.
Plug-in sensors record humidity, temperature, and surface conditions continuously. No WiFi setup required.
Upload sensor data to the platform. Get a disclosure-ready PDF within minutes — structural defect vs. condensation cause, timestamped.
Use the report to respond to the tenant, solicitor, or local authority. Objective data, not assertion.
Common assumptions
"What if my tenant won't let me install sensors?"
Section 11(6) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 gives you a right of entry to view the state and condition of the property with at least 24 hours' written notice. Our welcome pack includes a template Section 11 notice letter that meets statutory requirements.
"The tenant is causing it themselves — I shouldn't need evidence."
Courts and local authorities won't take the word for it. Without sensor data showing condensation issues (poor ventilation, cooking, drying laundry), you can't distinguish structural damp from tenant behaviour. The assumption goes against you.
"I'll deal with it if they actually make a complaint."
By the time a Shelter referral or solicitor letter arrives, you're already in reactive mode. Pre-emptive monitoring is admissible evidence and demonstrates due diligence.
"A surveyor's inspection should be enough."
A one-day visit creates a snapshot. Damp and mould is seasonal and behavioural — a 10 or 14-day continuous record shows patterns a single inspection cannot.
Order your kit now. Sensors dispatched same day via tracked delivery.