Freedom of Information request - Number of mould & damp reports under phase 1 of Awaab's Law
Case reference FOI2026/00965
Received 3 September 2026
Published 18 September 2026
Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act (2000), I would like to request the following: The number of reports about damp and/or mould received by the council regarding council-owned social housing properties from the 27th of October 2025 to the 27th of August 2026. Of the damp and mould reports received by the council during this period, please provide the number that were assessed as: -A significant damp and/or mould hazard under phase 1 of Awaab's Law -An emergency damp and/or mould hazard under phase 1 of Awaab's Law -A damp and/or mould hazard which does not fall under phase 1 of Awaab's Law For significant damp and/or mould hazard reports, please provide: -The number investigated within the statutory 10 working day timeframe -The number for which the tenant was provided with a written summary of the investigation within 3 working days of the investigation being concluded -The number made safe within the statutory 5 working day timeframe following investigation -The number where works to address the underlying cause were commenced within 5 days, or where not reasonably practical, steps were taken to commence works within 12 weeks -The number where the relevant statutory timescales were not met For emergency damp and/or mould hazard reports, please provide: -The number investigated within the statutory 24-hour timeframe -The number made safe within the statutory 24-hour timeframe -The number where the relevant statutory timescales were not met and, if recorded, the reason for the delay If any part of this request would exceed the cost limit under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000,
Response
The Council can advise that specific reporting against the relevant damp and mould measures commenced during 2026. Consequently, complete recorded figures are not available through the current reporting system for the full period requested, from 27 October 2025 to 27 August 2026.
The reporting periods available vary between the individual measures. Where recorded information is available, this is provided below.
1. The number of reports about damp and/or mould received by the Council regarding council-owned social housing properties from 27 October 2025 to 27 August 2026.
During this period, the Council recorded:
April 2026 – 7 potential emergency hazards and 58 potential significant hazards.
May 2026 – 4 potential emergency hazards and 38 potential significant hazards.
June 2026 – 2 potential emergency hazards and 28 potential significant hazards.
July 2026 – 2 potential emergency hazards and 30 potential significant hazards.
2. Of the damp and mould reports received during this period, please provide the number that were assessed as:
a) A significant damp and/or mould hazard under Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law
April 2026 – 58
May 2026 – 38
June 2026 – 28
July 2026 – 30
Total: 154
b) An emergency damp and/or mould hazard under Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law
April 2026 – 7
May 2026 – 4
June 2026 – 2
July 2026 – 2
Total: 15
c) A damp and/or mould hazard which does not fall under Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law
The Council does not hold this information as a separately reportable figure within the current reporting data.
3. For significant damp and/or mould hazard reports, please provide:
a) The number investigated within the statutory 10 working day timeframe
April 2026 – 57
May 2026 – 26
June 2026 – 24
July 2026 – 25
August 2026 – 17
Total: 149
b) The number for which the tenant was provided with a written summary of the investigation within 3 working days of the investigation being concluded
April 2026 – 72 required; 71 sent.
May 2026 – 38 required; 24 sent.
June 2026 – 31 required; 24 sent.
July 2026 – 30 required; 22 sent.
A total of 141 written summaries were sent during the period covered by the available reporting data.
c) The number made safe within the statutory 5 working day timeframe following investigation
April 2026 – 87
May 2026 – 40
June 2026 – 33
July 2026 – 18
Total: 178
Safety works consist of mould treatments which are carried out ahead of surveys for safety reasons and to comply with the relevant works-beginning requirements.
d) The number where works to address the underlying cause were commenced within 5 days, or where not reasonably practical, steps were taken to commence works within 12 weeks
The Council does not record these numbers and therefore does not hold the information requested as a separately reportable figure.
e) The number where the relevant statutory timescales were not met
The Council does not hold this information as a separately reportable figure. Identifying this information would require an individual review of the relevant cases.
4. For emergency damp and/or mould hazard reports, please provide:
a) The number investigated within the statutory 24-hour timeframe
April 2026 – 6 of 7
May 2026 – 3 of 4
June 2026 – 2 of 2
July 2026 – 1 of 2
Total: 12
b) The number made safe within the statutory 24-hour timeframe
April 2026 – 6 of 7
May 2026 – 3 of 4
June 2026 – 2 of 2
July 2026 – 2 of 2
Total: 13
Safety works consist of mould treatments which are carried out ahead of surveys for safety reasons.
c) The number where the relevant statutory timescales were not met and, if recorded, the reason for the delay
The reasons for individual delays are not held within a centrally reportable dataset. Identifying and collating this information would require a manual review of individual case records.
The Council considers that undertaking this exercise would impose a disproportionate burden on its resources. This part of the request is therefore refused under Regulation 12(4)(b) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, on the basis that it is manifestly unreasonable.
Public interest test
The Council recognises the public interest in transparency regarding its management of damp and mould cases and compliance with relevant statutory timescales.
However, identifying the requested information would require individual examination of case records and would place a disproportionate burden on Council resources.
The Council considers that the public interest in avoiding this disproportionate diversion of resources outweighs the public interest in disclosure of this information.
The Council has therefore maintained the exception under Regulation 12(4)(b).
Documents
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