Awaab’s Law

Awaab’s Law establishes legally enforceable timeframes for investigating and addressing serious hazards in rented homes.

The law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old child who died following prolonged exposure to mould in his social-rented home.

Its purpose is to ensure that landlords respond quickly when damp, mould or another serious housing hazard could harm a resident.

The regulations currently in force apply to registered providers of social housing in England, including local authorities and registered housing associations.

Private landlords remain subject to existing repair, safety and housing-condition duties, but the detailed social-housing Awaab’s Law timeframes should not automatically be presented as applying to private tenancies.

The Renters’ Rights Act provides for Awaab’s Law to be extended to privately rented homes. The detailed requirements and implementation date for that extension are expected to be introduced through further regulations.

Phase 1 came into force for social housing in England on 27 October 2025.

It covers emergency hazards and damp or mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm to a tenant or member of their household.

Social landlords must assess reports promptly, investigate qualifying hazards within the required timeframe and take action to make the home safe.

An emergency hazard is a danger that presents an imminent and significant risk of serious harm to the health or safety of a resident.

Under the social-housing regulations, emergency safety work must be completed within 24 hours after the landlord becomes aware of the hazard.

The exact response will depend on the nature of the danger and may include an urgent repair, isolating an unsafe installation or moving the household temporarily.

Damp and mould can create or worsen respiratory illness, allergies and other health conditions. Children, older residents and people with existing medical conditions may be particularly vulnerable.

A landlord should assess the seriousness of the hazard by considering the condition of the property, the extent of the damp or mould and the circumstances of the household.

The response should address the underlying cause rather than relying only on surface cleaning or repainting.

For hazards covered by the social-housing regulations, landlords must investigate within the prescribed period after becoming aware of the issue.

Where an investigation identifies a significant or emergency hazard, the resident must receive a written summary explaining the findings and the action that will be taken.

Landlords should keep clear records of the original report, risk assessment, inspections, communications and completed work.

Where a qualifying hazard is identified, the landlord must take the required safety action within the applicable timeframe.

Making the property safe may involve a temporary repair followed by permanent remedial work. Landlords may also need to complete preventative work to reduce the risk of the hazard returning.

Work should be completed by suitably competent people and should address the actual source of the problem.

Where the property cannot be made safe within the required timeframe, a social landlord may need to secure suitable alternative accommodation for the household at the landlord’s expense.

The suitability of alternative accommodation will depend on matters including household size, disability, medical requirements, location and the likely duration of the move.

Subject to the applicable regulations, Phase 2 is scheduled to extend the significant-hazard requirements in social housing from 30 November 2026.

The expanded categories include serious risks associated with temperature, falls, structural failure, explosions, fire, electricity, hygiene and food safety.

Further expansion is planned for social housing so that additional Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards are covered, apart from overcrowding.

The government also intends to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector as part of wider rental reform.

Private landlords and letting agents should monitor future regulations carefully because the private-sector timeframes, commencement dates and detailed procedures may differ from the current social-housing rules.

Even before private-sector Awaab’s Law regulations take effect, private landlords already have important duties concerning repairs, habitability and safety.

Depending on the property and tenancy, these may arise under housing legislation, the tenancy agreement and statutory obligations concerning the structure, installations and fitness for human habitation.

Local authorities may inspect privately rented homes under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and can take enforcement action where serious hazards are identified.

Tenants should report damp, mould or another safety problem as soon as possible and provide enough information for the landlord to understand the urgency.

Written communication creates a useful record and should include photographs where safe and appropriate.

Landlords and managing agents should have a clear procedure for receiving, assessing and escalating reports of serious hazards.

Reports involving vulnerable residents or an immediate risk should be prioritised. Landlords should avoid assuming that damp or mould is caused solely by tenant behaviour without completing a proper investigation.

A social-housing tenant may use the landlord’s complaints process and escalate the matter to the Housing Ombudsman where appropriate.

Tenants may also contact their local authority where a serious housing hazard remains unresolved.

Private tenants can contact the local council’s housing or environmental-health team and may wish to obtain independent housing or legal advice.

Emergency situations should be reported to the appropriate emergency service.

Landlords and agents can prepare by improving how hazards are reported, triaged, inspected and documented.

A strong system should identify urgent cases quickly and make it easy to demonstrate when reports were received and how they were resolved.

Dan & Shiv Realty supports clear maintenance reporting and organised communication between landlords and tenants.

We help landlords maintain records, coordinate inspections and follow up on reported property issues.

Where a serious legal or safety matter arises, landlords and tenants should obtain advice from the relevant authority or an appropriately qualified professional.