RETROFIT assessors can be found inside homes looking at fabric, ventilation, heating, occupancy patterns and how a property is performing. Until now, damp and mould risk might never have made the list unless it had already been raised as a complaint – but with new regulation, that is rapidly changing.
Damp and mould are no longer background issues for landlords, contractors or retrofit teams. Awaab’s Law came into force for social landlords in England in October 2025, and the Scottish version is due to come into force in October 2026, applying across the rented sector.
Sureserve Energy Services UK, a provider of property services, has taken a first step towards building damp and mould competence across its retrofit assessor workforce, after a cohort of Scotland-based retrofit assessors completed ‘first-of-its-kind’ training with Elmhurst Energy. Having worked with Elmhurst for several years through its accreditation scheme and professional training programmes, including Retrofit Coordinator training, the company identified the Damp and Mould Assessor course as a natural next step.
“Our director, Scott Paton, is clear that clients and customers come first in everything we do, and that means being ahead of the curve on matters as important as Awaab’s Law,” explained contracts manager Jaye Reilly. “Elmhurst gave us the solution we needed and accommodated the scale of our retrofit workforce to make it happen. When the law comes into force in Scotland in October 2026, our clients will already have competent, trained people in their homes identifying risk, which makes compliance far more straightforward and the transition much smoother.”
The training is designed to help property and energy professionals identify damp and mould risk, understand ventilation and building performance and produce clear findings for retrofit coordinators and landlords.
While the primary focus of the training and competency requirements remains with retrofit assessors, whose role is to attend site, assess the property and identify issues before the retrofit plan is developed, Sureserve plans to roll the training out more widely across its teams to raise awareness.
“The course gave us a clear, structured way to identify damp and mould risk and understand the legislative context behind it,” added retrofit coordinator Duncan McVicar. “It fits naturally with what a retrofit professional is already doing on site, and it has given me and the team the confidence to recognise the signs and pass clear, usable information back to the local authorities and landlords we work with. It has genuinely added another layer to how we assess a property.”
The damp and mould assessor training and competency scheme is intended to expand the pool of qualified professionals available to social landlords as they work to meet new requirements. Course content includes the process and guidance on Awaab’s Law for social landlords, the technical detail and a walkthrough of the dwelling assessment process.
Damp and mould risk sits in the same space as fabric performance, ventilation, heating and how the home is used day to day. Retrofit changes those conditions. Improving fabric and airtightness can improve comfort and energy performance, but poor ventilation strategy can also increase humidity and mould risk.
Damp, mould and condensation findings can inform the ventilation strategy for PAS 2035 retrofit projects, helping to reduce the risk that fabric upgrades and increased airtightness lead to unintended consequences.
“Damp and mould is now a critical competence issue for the housing and retrofit sectors,” said Josh Wakeling, head of training at Elmhurst Energy. “This training is designed to help professionals identify risk, understand the role of ventilation and building performance, and provide clear information that supports landlords’ decision-making.”
Awaab’s Law changes the pressure on landlords. Awareness, triage, investigation and evidence all become more important. England’s guidance says a social landlord can become aware of a potential hazard through a tenant raising an issue, a routine inspection or visit by maintenance staff, or by notification from a third party, including contractors. It also says landlords should ensure contractors report hazards or potential hazards they identify when visiting a property. The legal responsibility for compliance and work completion remains with the landlord.
Sureserve’s retrofit assessors are already attending homes to assess property condition. While they are there, they may see something that would otherwise wait for a complaint: visible mould growth, damp staining, condensation risk, ventilation issues, thermal bridging or other moisture indicators. It is here that Sureserve believes trained contractors and retrofit professionals can make a practical difference. A trained assessor can recognise the risk and flag it to the social landlord for further investigation.
Instead of damp and mould being raised only when a resident complains, risk can be spotted while a competent person is already in the home. For social landlords managing large housing portfolios, that can support earlier intervention, better evidence and more consistent decisions about remedial action.
• To find out more, visit www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk/damp-and-mould-assessor-training/
