The February 2025 Housing Ombudsman report has revealed widespread Awaab’s Law standards failures, particularly regarding damp and mould management. With Awaab’s Law implementation due in October 2025, housing providers must act now. Here’s how Vericon Systems’ smart technology directly addresses the Ombudsman’s key concerns.
The Ombudsman identified properties left uninspected for years, resulting in severe health impacts. Our HomeHub system prevents these delays through:
Multiple cases in the Ombudsman’s report showed how conflicting inspection results led to confusion and inaction. The Vericon Surveyor Cube resolves this through:
The Ombudsman highlighted numerous cases where recommended works were never completed. Our integrated platform bridges this gap by providing:
Poor communication emerged as a critical issue in the Ombudsman’s report. Our HomeHub interface revolutionises resident engagement through:
By implementing Vericon Systems’ integrated platform, housing providers can:
Don’t wait for the new Awaab’s Law standards to highlight the importance of proper property monitoring and maintenance. The solutions for comprehensive Awaab’s Law compliance are available today—let’s use them to prevent future tragedies and create better living conditions for all residents.
To learn more about Awaab’s Law or discuss how our secure IoT solutions can benefit your organisation, contact our team today on 01242 582 555 or email [email protected]
The countdown to Awaab’s Law implementation in October 2025 has begun, and recent findings from the Housing Ombudsman have revealed critical failings in social housing inspections. These findings come at a crucial time, as Awaab’s Law will soon require social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould issues within strict timeframes.
The legislation, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who tragically died from exposure to mould in 2020, represents a watershed moment for social housing safety standards. However, the Ombudsman’s latest report highlights systemic inspection failures that must be addressed before Awaab’s Law takes effect.
The report reveals distressing cases where inspection failures have directly impacted residents’ health. In one instance, a baby required an inhaler due to exposure to damp and mould after a landlord failed to conduct proper inspections. Another case saw children sleeping on the floor for two years because their bedroom had become uninhabitable.
Incomplete or Missing Inspections
The Ombudsman identified that many properties either weren’t inspected at all or received inadequate assessments. Our HomeHub system addresses this fundamental requirement of Awaab’s Law by conducting environmental assessments every five minutes. This continuous monitoring ensures housing providers maintain constant oversight, identifying potential issues before they become hazardous.
Conflicting Inspection Results
With Awaab’s Law implementation approaching, conflicting inspection results present a significant compliance risk. Our Surveyor Cube eliminates this issue by providing consistent, accurate data that can’t be misinterpreted. This standardised approach ensures all stakeholders work from the same reliable dataset, crucial for Awaab’s Law compliance.
Disconnect Between Recommendations and Actions
Under Awaab’s Law, housing providers must act promptly on identified issues. Our integrated platform ensures recommendations are properly logged, tracked, and acted upon within the timeframes that Awaab’s Law will mandate. The system maintains a clear audit trail of all identified issues, recommended actions, and completed works.
Poor Communication with Residents
Awaab’s Law emphasises the importance of resident communication. Our HomeHub interface revolutionises this aspect by providing transparent, real-time data access. This aligns perfectly with Awaab’s Law requirements for clear, timely communication with residents about property conditions and remedial actions.
As the October 2025 deadline for Awaab’s Law approaches, the social housing sector must embrace solutions that address these systemic failures. The tragic case of Awaab Ishak demonstrates why traditional inspection methods are no longer sufficient to ensure resident safety and wellbeing.
Housing Ombudsman Richard Blakeway emphasises that under Awaab’s Law, “communication with residents must be open, specific and accurate.” Our solutions are specifically designed to meet these Awaab’s Law requirements, facilitating unprecedented transparency and accountability.
The seven-month countdown to Awaab’s Law implementation means housing providers must act now. By implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions, they can ensure compliance with Awaab’s Law while protecting residents’ health and wellbeing.
The implementation of Awaab’s Law represents more than just new legislation—it’s an opportunity to transform how we approach social housing safety. Our technology provides the tools needed to not only comply with Awaab’s Law but to exceed its requirements, creating safer homes for everyone.
Don’t wait for Awaab’s Law to highlight the importance of proper property monitoring and maintenance. The solutions for comprehensive Awaab’s Law compliance are available today—let’s use them to prevent future tragedies and create better living conditions for all residents.
To learn more about Awaab’s Law or discuss how our secure IoT solutions can benefit your organisation, contact our team today on 01242 582 555 or email [email protected]
In the evolving landscape of social housing compliance, data has become the cornerstone of effective property management. As we approach the October 2025 deadline for Awaab’s Law implementation, the Surveyor Cube emerges as a pioneering solution that transforms how housing providers approach their compliance obligations.
The Surveyor Cube stands out with two game-changing capabilities: lightning-fast installation and immediate data delivery.
Gone are the days of complex installation processes and technical specialists. The Surveyor Cube revolutionises property monitoring with true plug-and-play simplicity. Within minutes of unboxing, any member of your team can install the device and begin receiving valuable environmental data. No specialist tools, no technical expertise, and no disruption to your residents’ daily lives—just straightforward, immediate implementation.
The moment your Surveyor Cube powers up, it begins delivering crucial environmental data. There’s no waiting period, no complex setup, and no delay in monitoring capabilities. This immediate activation means you’re instantly collecting the evidence needed for Awaab’s Law compliance, including:
What truly sets the Surveyor Cube apart is its ability to transform complex environmental data into clear, actionable insights. The system’s advanced machine learning algorithms analyse patterns and trends across your property portfolio, enabling predictive maintenance strategies that can significantly reduce the risk of damp and mould development. This predictive capability allows housing providers to move beyond reactive maintenance to a more proactive approach, ensuring compliance with Awaab’s Law’s stringent requirements.
In the context of Awaab’s Law, documentation is crucial. The Surveyor Cube and the Vericon platfrom automatically generates detailed compliance reports, maintaining a comprehensive record of environmental conditions, interventions, and outcomes. This automated documentation ensures housing providers can demonstrate their commitment to maintaining healthy living environments whilst meeting regulatory requirements.
As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, the Surveyor Cube evolves with them. Regular over-the-air updates ensure the system remains at the forefront of compliance technology. These updates not only enhance existing capabilities but also introduce new features as requirements change, protecting your investment and ensuring long-term compliance.
The Surveyor Cube’s intelligent monitoring capabilities enable more efficient resource allocation. By identifying high-risk properties and predicting potential issues, housing providers can prioritise maintenance activities and allocate resources more effectively. This strategic approach not only improves compliance but also optimises operational efficiency and reduces costs.
The Surveyor Cube represents more than just a compliance solution—it’s a strategic investment in the future of property management. By combining sophisticated monitoring capabilities with unprecedented ease of use, it enables housing providers to exceed regulatory requirements whilst improving resident satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Contact our team today on 01242 582 555 or email [email protected]
Together, we can make a significant impact in improving damp & mould management and ensuring a better future for social housing.
In an era where data drives decision-making, social housing providers can no longer afford to lag behind. The key to unlocking operational efficiencies, cost savings, and most importantly, ensuring resident safety lies in embracing intelligently designed remote technology solutions. At Vericon Systems, we believe that connected solutions can transform the way social housing is managed, enhancing the lives of thousands of residents across the country.
For years, the maintenance of heating systems has followed a reactive pattern – wait for a breakdown, then scramble to repair or replace. This approach is not only costly but leads to resident dissatisfaction and even safety risks. By harnessing real-time data from Vericon’s BCM, which tracks boiler performance metrics such as flow temperature, return temperature, and system pressure, social housing providers can proactively schedule maintenance, reducing unexpected failures and keeping residents warm and safe.
BCM’s real-time monitoring capabilities send intelligent performance data to the cloud, where it can be interrogated and analysed to predict and identify common failures such as low pressure, loss of gas, and even a frozen condensate pipe. Its GSM connectivity provides a secure data stream to and from the device, reporting in real time to the cloud, removing any dependence on an occupant’s Wi-Fi network. Plus, each BCM has a complete and detailed record of its history and audit trail, allowing for the review of all actions, alerts, and notifications that have occurred throughout its entire lifetime. And with universal compatibility, BCM is designed to monitor housing stock in real time and is capable of operating with all major boiler brands, as well as being future compatible with air source heat pumps and hydrogen boilers.
Boiler breakdowns due to low pressure are a common and frustrating emergency. These avoidable callouts place a burden on maintenance resources and leave residents without heating or hot water. Vericon’s AutoFill solution autonomously monitors boiler pressure in real-time, detecting when a system is losing pressure and autonomously repressurising the system to prevent breakdowns. When the boiler pressure falls below a specific limit, the AutoFill system initiates the filling procedure. During this process, AutoFill operates for three seconds to fill and subsequently checks the pressure. This cycle continues until either the desired 1.5 bar is attained or a failure is identified within the system.
AutoFill provides real-time notifications, with every top-up recorded on the portal with a timestamp. Should another top-up be necessary within a 90-day period, an engineer will be alerted to address the issue. In the event that a third top-up is needed, the system will be identified as needing an engineer visit and preventing any further top-ups. AutoFill is seamlessly integrated within the existing fill loop of the boiler, ensuring complete compatibility with any boiler system.
Mould growth and damp conditions pose serious health risks to residents, from respiratory issues to long-term conditions. Traditional methods of detection rely on visual inspections, often missing early signs of moisture issues. Vericon’s MultiDOT sensors track temperature and humidity in real-time, enabling the swift identification of potential mould and damp risks, allowing for prompt remediation and ensuring a safe living environment. MultiDOT serves as a diagnostic tool that can be reused for properties experiencing damp and mould issues. After installing the device and resolving the issue, it can be installed in the next property. Landlords and property managers can use MultiDOT to monitor temperature and humidity levels in specific areas where it is installed, ensuring tenant safety by identifying potential mould and dampness problems early. MultiDOT provides instant, real-time information, its technology enabling seamless analysis of critical data points, enhancing the decision-making processes.
“Although the Vericon system has only been live for a matter of months, we are already seeing positive results,” says Chris Roberts, Sustainability Manager at Plus Dane Housing.
“With the ability to proactively monitor, manage and evaluate humidity levels within our properties, we can prevent the build-up of damp and mould and all of the problems they bring. Vericon’s ongoing service and support has been first class.”
Fuel poverty and being able to monitor vulnerable residents is a growing concern within the social housing sector. These individuals may face various physical, mental, or financial challenges that could impact their safety and well-being. Vericon will monitor properties of residents tagged by the housing provider as vulnerable for signs of activity.
Vericon can monitor energy usage in real-time, identify properties with low room temperatures, frequent energy outages, or unusual energy usage patterns, highlighting where support is needed. By targeting assistance to those most in need, social housing providers can make a real difference in tackling fuel poverty and helping vulnerable residents.
Vacant properties pose unique challenges, from being able to prevent damage to avoiding unnecessary energy waste. Vericon’s BCM enables the remote management of heating in void properties, ensuring pipes don’t freeze and avoiding costly repairs. It’s a simple yet effective way to increase operational efficiency and reduce costs.
Ensuring statutory compliance for emergency lighting is a critical yet often time-consuming task. Vericon’s Emered solution automates the testing and reporting of emergency lighting, providing full audit trails and ensuring all systems are safe and compliant. Emered can be installed and commissioned on to any luminaire in under 10 minutes and will carry out tests over the next 10 years and beyond. Importantly, Emered performs both monthly and annual tests, including the mandatory 3-hour test, and the flick test, for complete compliance. Using Vericon’s Portal, test schedules can be set per device allowing for staggered testing in a single building, ensuring compliance with BS5266. The EmeRed will automatically send all test results to Vericon Connect. The Connect system will then notify specified users to any failed lamps or those requiring preventative maintenance.
Don’t just take our word for it. Our solutions are already delivering real results for social housing providers.
“Working with the Vericon team and their eco-system has been a refreshing experience,” said Paul Hutchins, Innovations Contract Manager at LiveWest.
“The Vericon trial has given LiveWest an opportunity to fully understand an option as a future service strategy and how the innovative concepts could flow into existing structures and workflows.”
Rob McFerran of Selwood Housing commends Vericon’s Surveyor Cube, stating, “The implementation of The Surveyor Cube has proved to be a valuable tool for Selwood Housing and our customers, improving resident comfort and aiding in our joint effort to eradicate damp and mould from our housing stock.”
The Surveyor Cube consists of a plug & play BCM, several MultiDOT devices, adhesive pads and full portal access with the capability to instantly view and report on a properties environmental conditions. The Surveyor Cube can be installed in minutes, with no specialist tools or knowledge. The Plug and Play BCM has a three pin plug fitted to allow for simple power-up and re-deployment. All information collected by the devices is sent via the plug and play BCM to Connect to be interrogated and analysed by our machine learning algorithms. The data can then be reviewed and downloaded for a full audit trail.
At Vericon Systems, we’re dedicated to improving the lives of social housing residents through innovative connected solutions. By partnering with us, housing providers can benefit from streamlined operations, significant cost savings, and improved resident satisfaction. Our mission is to enhance property management and resident living, one connected home at a time. We believe that intelligently designed remote technology solutions that provide insightful data and enable remote interventions are the key to unlocking a more efficient, effective, and resident-focused future for social housing.
The question is, are you ready to unlock the power of real-time data and start transforming your operations with intelligently designed remote technology solutions?
For more information about how Vericon can benefit your housing projects call 01242 582 555 or email [email protected]
Together, we can make a significant impact in combating fuel poverty and ensuring a better future for social housing.
Plus Dane Housing, a social housing group managing over 13,000 homes across Cheshire and Merseyside, has taken a significant step towards enhancing the living conditions of its tenants. Through a new collaboration with Vericon Systems, Plus Dane is leveraging intelligent remote monitoring and management technology to address and prevent the harmful effects of damp and mould in its estate.
Plus Dane Housing is not just about providing homes; it’s about creating supportive environments where residents can live comfortably. This mission has led to the installation of Vericon’s Surveyor Cube system, a cutting-edge solution designed specifically to identify and mitigate the root causes of damp and mould issues within properties.
The Surveyor Cube system integrates Vericon’s plug-and-play boiler control module (BCM) with MultiDOT temperature and humidity level sensors. These components can be swiftly and easily installed throughout each property in mere minutes, requiring no specialist knowledge or tools. This ease of installation ensures minimal disruption while providing maximum impact.
One of the standout features of the Vericon system is its dedicated online portal. This platform enables Plus Dane to monitor and manage the environmental conditions of every home remotely. By instantly viewing and analyzing data on temperature and humidity levels, Plus Dane can proactively address issues before they escalate into significant problems.
Chris Roberts, Sustainability Manager at Plus Dane Housing, highlights the immediate benefits of this technology:
“Although the Vericon system has only been live for a matter of months, we are already seeing positive results,” he says. “With the ability to proactively monitor, manage, and evaluate humidity levels within our properties, we can prevent the build-up of damp and mould and all of the problems they bring. Vericon’s ongoing service and support has been first class.”
The collaboration between Plus Dane Housing and Vericon Systems exemplifies how the appropriate use of technology can significantly improve residents’ welfare.
Bernard Cook, Managing Director at Vericon Systems, underscores the importance of this integration:
“The integration of connected technology for detecting damp and mould can play a vital role in improving the living conditions of residents and in demonstrating a landlord’s commitment to best practice.”
The advantages of connected technology for social housing providers are manifold. From enhancing efficiency and achieving cost savings to ensuring the well-being of residents, the benefits are clear and compelling.
Plus Dane Housing’s partnership with Vericon Systems showcases a proactive approach to maintaining healthy living environments for social housing residents. By embracing intelligent remote monitoring and management technology, Plus Dane is setting a benchmark for other housing providers to follow, demonstrating that innovation and care can go hand in hand to create better living conditions for all.
For more information about how Vericon’s damp & mould monitoring products can benefit your housing projects call 01242 582 555 or email [email protected]
Together, we can make a significant impact in combating fuel poverty and ensuring a better future for social housing.
