Named after Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old who died in 2020 following prolonged exposure to severe mould in a social housing property, Awaab's Law was introduced by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and applies to social housing landlords from 27 October 2025. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is expected to extend the same framework to the private rented sector in a later phase — the commencement date is to be confirmed by secondary legislation.
The law introduces mandatory response timeframes for housing hazards assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Failure to comply will expose landlords to local authority enforcement, civil penalty notices, disrepair claims, and, in HMO cases, licence consequences.
What Awaab's Law requires
The law imposes a three-step obligation when a tenant reports a potential housing hazard. The exact timeframes are set by secondary regulations, with detail confirmed at commencement.
- Step 1, Respond: Acknowledge the hazard report and confirm your intentions within the prescribed response period (14 days for the initial response under the social housing model)
- Step 2, Investigate: Inspect and investigate the cause of the hazard within the statutory investigation period after acknowledgement
- Step 3, Repair: Fix the hazard within the statutory repair period following investigation. Emergency hazards, those presenting an immediate risk to life, require same-day action
- The obligation to respond applies whether or not you believe the report is serious or well-founded, the clock starts on receipt of any written or verifiable hazard report
What hazards does Awaab's Law cover?
Awaab's Law applies to any hazard assessed under the HHSRS, the government's framework for evaluating the risk from housing conditions. The most commonly reported hazards in the private rented sector are:
- Damp and mould, the original trigger, now the highest-enforcement-risk hazard in the PRS
- Excess cold, inadequate heating or insulation presenting a risk to health
- Structural collapse risk, defective structural elements including stairs, ceilings and walls
- Electrical hazards, defective wiring, overloaded circuits, unsafe appliances provided by the landlord
- Carbon monoxide and combustion products, defective boilers, gas appliances, or blocked flues
- Falls, unsafe floors, stairs, balconies, or window guards
Enforcement consequences
Local authorities have multiple enforcement tools under Awaab's Law and the broader HHSRS framework. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 also strengthens direct enforcement powers.
- Civil penalty notices: Local authorities can issue fixed penalties without a court hearing
- Improvement notices: A formal notice requiring specific works within a set timeframe, failure to comply is an offence
- Emergency remedial action: The authority carries out the repair itself and recovers the cost from the landlord
- Prohibition orders: Prevents occupation of the property until hazards are remedied
- HMO licence consequences: A failure under Awaab's Law is a factor in HMO licence refusals and revocations
- Disrepair claims: Tenants can sue for damages in the County Court if the landlord fails to repair within a reasonable time
What landlords should do now
Landlords should prepare for Awaab's Law before the commencement date is announced. Establishing good practice now reduces risk under existing obligations and ensures readiness when the PRS extension takes effect.
- Create a hazard reporting log: Document every repair request with a date received, description, your response, inspection date, and completion date
- Respond in writing to every damp or mould report: Acknowledge receipt and confirm when you will inspect, do not rely on phone calls
- Inspect promptly: Even if you believe the cause is tenant behaviour, inspect and record your findings before responding
- Fix the cause, not the symptom: Painting over mould without addressing the moisture source will not satisfy the law
- Annual proactive inspections: Inspect for damp, mould and ventilation problems before tenants report them
Awaab's Law and your tenancy agreement
When Awaab's Law extends to the private rented sector, Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreements will need to be consistent with Awaab's Law obligations. Clauses that seek to transfer the landlord's repair duty to the tenant, or that limit the landlord's response timeframe, may be challengeable or unenforceable.
LetSafe UK's Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (LS-E-001) includes repair obligations consistent with the expected post-commencement regime, including Awaab's Law. Landlords using pre-2026 AST templates should review whether their repair clauses are compatible with the new statutory timeframes.
Frequently asked questions
Does Awaab's Law currently apply to private landlords in England?+
Not yet. Awaab's Law currently applies only to social housing landlords (in force 27 October 2025). The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is expected to extend it to the private rented sector in a later phase, but the implementation date has not been confirmed — it is subject to secondary legislation. Private landlords should prepare now.
What is the response timeframe under Awaab's Law?+
The exact timeframes are set by secondary regulations. Under the social housing model (on which the PRS extension is based), the initial response to a reported hazard must be within 14 days, with investigation and repair to follow within additional prescribed periods. Emergency hazards require same-day action.
What counts as a 'report' that triggers the Awaab's Law clock?+
Any written or verifiable communication from the tenant reporting a potential hazard starts the clock. This includes emails, text messages, and letters. Landlords should respond in writing to every report to create a documented record.
Can a landlord argue that damp is the tenant's fault?+
Landlords can investigate and document evidence that damp is caused by tenant behaviour (inadequate ventilation, lifestyle condensation). However, the Awaab's Law obligation to respond and investigate still applies. Landlords cannot simply ignore a report by attributing fault, they must inspect, document findings, and respond in writing.
How does Awaab's Law interact with the existing Section 11 repair duty?+
Awaab's Law supplements, not replaces, the existing Section 11 repair duty under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Both obligations apply concurrently. Awaab's Law adds mandatory response timeframes to what was previously a repair obligation enforceable only retrospectively through the courts.