Fact sheet: Damp, condensation and mould in residential property

The new regulations do not alter the minimum property standard – homes must remain safe, and hazards must be identified and managed. However, they will affect how hazards are described, scored, and categorised when councils inspect homes, making evidence of regular checks increasingly important.

The UK Government has set out further reforms across housing, communities, and local government. Proposals affect leasehold, building safety, social housing, local authority standards, and tourism levies, all of which could impact local housing markets and influence the way councils, owners, agents and residents interact.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has announced a new improvement plan to accelerate remediation works on higher-risk buildings (HRBs) across England to tackle ongoing delays in the approvals process. A series of operational changes designed to reduce application backlogs, improve decision times, and support higher-quality submissions from industry have been included.

The Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF) is designed to improve resident safety while reducing the financial burden on leaseholders in buildings awaiting remediation. The fund marks a continuation—and expansion—of efforts to address building safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, while also aligning with long-standing industry calls, including Propertymark’s campaigning, for practical and cost-effective interim safety solutions.