Awaab’s Law Timescales and Requirements in Social Housing Sectors

After the tragic death of Awaab Ishaq, the UK government made clear that tenants deserve to live in a well-protected home by introducing Awaab’s Law on 27 October 2025 in the social housing sector. This law ensures that landlords properly address problems (such as damp and mould) within specified timeframes. 

Phase 2, starting on 30 November 2026, sets a new standard of accountability for tenant protection by covering more hazards. More strict deadlines mean landlords need to take even more responsibility. Real Estate Agents London is here to help landlords meet these standards. This guide explains how it works and what the enforceable timeframes are for acting on hazards.

What Is Awaab’s Law?

Awaab’s Law is a legal duty placed on all registered social housing landlords in England. It forces them to investigate and fix dangerous hazards in tenants’ homes within fixed time limits, not whenever it’s convenient for them.

• It was introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.
• The detailed rules for Phase 1 came into force through the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 on 27 October 2025. 
• The government also released its new statutory guidance on 17 October 2025.

Before this law, landlords could leave problems like damp and mould unresolved for months with no legal deadline to fix them. But Awaab’s Law totally changes that. It now covers health and safety hazards in social housing, from damp and mould to other serious risks under housing safety standards.

With Phase 2 from 30 November 2026, that coverage will expand even further. Landlords are now legally obliged to fix these hazards within certain periods, and renters must be provided with a written outcome once an inquiry has been completed.

Why the UK Government Introduced Awaab’s Law in Social Housing

Awaab’s Law takes its name from Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in 2020 in his social housing flat in Rochdale. His death is linked to prolonged exposure to damp and mould, which exposes serious gaps in how hazards are managed, reported, and enforced, because his family reported the mould to their landlord for three years, but nothing was done. 

Further investigations also highlight the clear failure in response times and landlord accountability due to zero fixed timescales for repairs or any duty to keep tenants informed. That’s why the government responded with the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 to prevent such incidents in the social housing sector and create a framework that replaces discretionary repair systems with legally fixed timescales.

To Whom Does Awaab Ishak Law Apply?

This law applies to all registered social housing landlords in England. This includes local authorities, housing associations, and other registered social housing providers.

Does Awaab’s Law Apply to Private Landlords?

Currently, private landlords are not covered by this law. However, they remain bound by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and other fitness standards. 

This law breaks down problems into two groups: significant hazards and emergency hazards. The category decides how quickly the landlord has to act.

Awaab Law Implementation Phases

The government introduces this law in three stages; it’s not a single rollout. Each stage adds more hazards to the list that landlords must address within fixed deadlines.

Phase 1: Effective From 27 October 2025

Awaab’s Law came into force for the social rented sector on 27 October 2025. From that point, social landlords become legally entitled to address all emergency hazards and all damp and mould issues that cause a significant risk to tenants’ health within strict statutory timeframes. They must investigate, complete necessary repairs promptly once serious risks are identified and report back in writing.

Phase 2: Expansion to Additional Housing Hazards

The second stage of Awaab’s law will come into force on 30 November 2026. In phase 1, this law only covered damp, mould, and emergencies. But in this phase, the government will extend regulations to cover more housing hazards. 

Along with damp and mould, from 30 November 2026, the following hazards will also be treated as significant hazards under Awaab’s Law:

• Excess cold and excess heat
• Falls (baths, stairs, level surfaces, between levels)
• Structural collapse and explosions
• Fire and electrical hazards
• Domestic and personal hygiene and food safety

Landlords will need to investigate and resolve these within the same statutory timeframes that currently apply to damp and mould.

Phase 3: Full HHSRS Coverage

Awaab’s Law will cover almost all health and safety hazards listed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) expected in 2027, once the government confirms the date. Unlike the earlier phases, which focused on specific categories of hazards, this final stage will extend the legal requirements to almost the entire range of HHSRS hazards.

UK housing law treats overcrowding differently because it involves occupancy limits and space standards rather than a physical defect or disrepair that a landlord can fix within a set timeframe. It is already covered under separate housing legislation, including the Housing Act 1985, which sets its own rules and enforcement routes for local authorities.

How does a Landlord Decide if a Hazard is Significant or Emergency?

Once a landlord becomes aware of an issue, they must assess:

• The type of problem (e.g. mould, broken heating, unsafe stairs)
• Who lives in the home, including children even if they don’t stay there every night
• The tenant’s personal circumstances, such as age and health conditions
• What the landlord already knows about the property (e.g. past issues or recent repairs)
• How likely the problem is to cause harm, and how serious that harm could be

This assessment determines whether the issue is treated as a significant hazard (10 working days to investigate) or an emergency hazard (24 hours to investigate).

Want an easier way to manage your rental property? Our property management service can help with inspections, repairs, and compliance.

Who Does Awaab’s Law Apply To?

Awaab’s law applies to all registered social housing landlords in England. This means: 

• Local councils that own and manage housing
• Housing associations
• Other registered providers of social housing

Does Awaab’s Law apply in Wales?

No. Housing law is devolved, and Awaab’s Law applies only in England. It has not been extended to Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. Wales has its own housing standards and legal processes for disrepair claims, including the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.

Does Awaab’s Law Apply To Private Landlords?

It does not apply to the private rented sector or landlords right now. The scope of this law is limited to the regulated social housing providers. So if you rent privately, this law does not cover you directly. 

However, this could change soon. The Renters Rights Act 2025, whose first phase is already implemented from 1 May 2026, gives the government power to extend Awaab’s law to private rented homes in future.

What Tenancies Does Awaab’s Law Cover?

It applies to almost all social housing rented out under a tenancy by a registered social landlord. This covers most council and housing association tenants, including:

• Secure tenancies
• Assured tenancies
• Introductory tenancies
• Demoted tenancies

Does Awaabs Law apply to temporary or supported accommodation?

In case of temporary accommodation and supported accommodation, whether this law applies to them depends on how you live there (or it is provided to you), not on the accommodation type. If you live there under a proper tenancy agreement, this law applies. But if you only have a license to occupy (common in hostels or short-term emergency placements), this does not apply.

Even with the right tenancy, the hazards must also meet a few conditions. It has to:

• Be a part of the buildings or land for which the social landlord is responsible
• Result from defects, disrepair or lack of maintenance, not something that caused due to breach of contract by the tenant
• Be something that the landlord actually has control to fix
• Be a significant or emergency hazard

Awaabs Law Does Not Apply To:

• Long leaseholds or other owner-occupied homes
• Shared ownership and other low-cost home ownership schemes
• Homes occupied under a license rather than a tenancy

Awaab’s Law Timescale or Requirements on Social Landlords

This legal process places a responsibility on social landlords to investigate, act, and repair hazards that pose a significant risk to tenants’ health and safety, within strict statutory timeframes. Failure to do so can result in enforcement action by the Regulator of Social Housing or the Housing Ombudsman.

If a hazard is more serious or complex than it first appeared, continue investigating until you find the cause. In the meantime, carry out any other necessary work to keep the property safe.

One Important point: These are the maximum time limits allowed by law. Landlords should act more quickly, especially if a hazard causes immediate risk to a tenant’s health or safety, or if any other legislation requires a faster response. 

What if a Landlord Cannot Meet the Deadline?

Missing a deadline is not an automatic breach. A landlord has a defence if they can prove they used all reasonable endeavours to comply and something outside their control got in the way. That could be a specialist contractor who is not available, building control approval that has not come through, or a tenant who cannot give access.

Access is the most common problem. To rely on this defence, a landlord needs to show they really tried, for example by:

• Offering appointments at different times, including evenings or weekends
• Contacting the tenant more than once and in more than one way
• Working around a tenant’s health, work or accessibility needs
• Keeping a dated written record of every attempt

If the safety work cannot be finished in time, the landlord must arrange suitable alternative accommodation at their own cost. The tenant can turn this down, and many do. If they stay, the landlord still has to explain the risk clearly and carry on with the work. Read the full details in the GOV.UK guidance for social landlords.

Looking for reliable property maintenance? Our Facilities Management service keeps your property safe, well maintained, and compliant with legal requirements.

Landlord’s Obligations Under Awaab’s Law

Awaab’s Law is more than meeting repair deadlines. In fact, it sets out clear legal duties that social landlords must follow from the moment a hazard is reported until the issue has been fully resolved. Under this law, they must:

1. Investigate all reported health and safety hazards within the required legal timescales.
2. Complete the necessary repair work within the legal deadline, unless there are exceptional circumstances that make this impossible.
3. Give tenants a written summary after each investigation which clearly explains what was found and what action will be taken.
4. Keep tenants informed throughout the process, including how to report hazards and the timescales that apply.
5. Make sure staff and contractors are prepared to respond quickly and meet the legal deadlines.
6. Keep accurate records of all investigations, repairs, and communication with tenants.

What the Written Summary Must Include

The summary has to go to the tenant within 3 working days of the investigation ending, unless all the work is already done by then. It must set out:

• Whether a significant or emergency hazard was found, and what it is
• What work the landlord will do, with a target date to start and finish
• If no work is needed, a clear reason why
• How to contact the landlord

The target dates in the summary are not legally binding, but landlords are still expected to keep tenants updated if anything changes after that.

If you rent out a property privately, our guide to UK landlord responsibilities explains the other legal and safety requirements you need to meet.

Awaab’s Law Checklist: What Landlords Should Do Before Phase 2

Phase 2 starts on 30 November 2026, so there is still time to get ready. The deadlines do not change, but the number of hazards you have to hit them on goes up. Here is a practical order to work through.

• Map your stock against the new hazards: Go through your properties and flag where excess cold, excess heat, falls, fire, electrical faults, structural problems or hygiene issues are most likely. Start with older homes and anywhere with past damp, mould or repair complaints.
• Fix how reports reach you: Every report needs to land in one place with a date and time on it. The clock starts the moment you become aware of a problem, so a report sitting in someone’s inbox is a real risk.
• Agree your triage rules now: Write down who decides whether something is a significant or an emergency hazard, and what happens at night, at weekends and over bank holidays.
• Check your contractor cover: Your agreements need to support 24 hour emergency work and safety work within 5 working days. Look hard at electrical, heating and damp specialists, because that is where cover usually runs thin.
• Train the people who take the calls: Front-line staff should pick up on the things that make a hazard more serious, such as a child in the home, a health condition or an older resident.
• Tighten your record keeping: Keep reports, investigation notes, photos, letters and every attempt to get access. If you ever need the reasonable endeavours defence, your records are the defence.
• Plan alternative accommodation before you need it: Know who you would call and what it would cost, rather than working it out on the day.
• Update your tenant letters: Have a written summary template ready that covers the four points above, so nobody has to draft one from scratch under a 3-day deadline.

Managing this across a portfolio takes systems. Our block management team handles reporting, contractors and record-keeping so the deadlines are met.

What Are Your Rights as a Tenant Under Awaab’s Law?

Awaabs Law gives social housing tenants clear legal rights if there are hazards in their home. If you report a problem, your landlord must take action within set timeframes. However, if they don’t, you have options.

How to Report a Hazard to Your Landlord

As soon as you notice a problem, report it to your landlord using their official contact methods, such as phone, email, or their online system. Avoid using social media unless your landlord says it’s okay.

When you report the problem, include:

• What is the problem (for example, mould, broken heating, or a structural issue)
• Who lives in the home, including children who stay regularly
• Any health conditions or other factors that make the problem more serious, such as asthma, pregnancy, or mobility issues
• Include photos or videos of the problem if possible
• When the problem started, and if it later got worse

You do not need to provide a doctor’s note or other medical evidence. Your landlord must take your report seriously based on the information you give. Plus, keep a record of every communication, including what you reported, when you reported it, how you contacted your landlord, and who you spoke with. 

What if your landlord doesn’t act?

You have three main options if your landlord does not meet their responsibilities.

Step 1: Make a formal complaint

Use your landlord’s official complaints process first. This is the quickest way to resolve the problem. Your landlord cannot treat you unfairly for making a complaint.

Step 2: Contact the Housing Ombudsman

If your landlord does not resolve your complaint or does not respond, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service. This is a free, independent service that investigates complaints about social landlords in England. They can:

• Investigate your complaint
• Order your landlord to carry out repairs
• Award compensation
• Require your landlord to apologise or improve their service

Step 3: Take legal action

If your landlord still has not fixed the problem, you may be able to take them to court for not fulfilling their legal responsibilities. If the court is in your favour, it can order them to carry out repairs, pay compensation, and cover your legal costs. Going to court can be expensive and take time, so it’s usually best to try the other 2 options first.

How Awaab’s Law Fits With the Decent Homes Standard and HHSRS

These three rules are linked, but they each have a different purpose. The Decent Homes Standard sets the condition standard for rented homes in England, while HHSRS assesses the risks in the property, and Awaab’s Law sets the time limits for fixing them once they are reported.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System matters more than it used to. It was updated on 23 June 2026 and now covers 21 hazards instead of the old 29. Phase 3 of Awaab’s Law will bring in the remaining HHSRS hazards, apart from overcrowding, so that shorter list is the one landlords should be planning around. In short,

Conclusion

The Awaab’s Law is not just a legal change but a major step towards safer social housing in England. It preserves tenant health, rebuilds trust by raising decent living standards, and makes landlords more accountable.

The law also gives clear rights to tenants to submit a complaint, contact the Housing Ombudsman, or take legal action if the landlord does not investigate or address a reported hazard within the statutory deadlines.

Phase 2, starting on 30 November 2026, will extend these protections to additional threats such as excess cold and heat, fire and electrical hazards, falls and food safety hazards. As the law develops, landlords will have more legal responsibilities and tenants will have more protection.

Frequently Asked Questions