Awaab's Law is the informal name given to the statutory regime introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 requiring private landlords in England to investigate and repair damp, mould, and other HHSRS hazards within prescribed statutory timeframes. It came into force on 1 May 2026 as part of Phase 1 of the Act. The law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old child who died in December 2020 in a Rochdale social housing flat as a direct result of prolonged exposure to black mould — an inquest finding that drove the legislative change.
Who Awaab's Law applies to
- All private landlords in England letting property under an assured tenancy — from portfolio landlords to accidental single-property landlords
- All new and converted Periodic Assured Tenancies (PATs) from 1 May 2026
- Cannot be contracted out of — any tenancy clause purporting to waive the tenant's rights under Awaab's Law is void
- Applies where the tenant reports the hazard — the landlord is not required to proactively inspect for all possible HHSRS hazards, though annual inspections are strongly recommended
- Enforced by local housing authorities using HHSRS powers and the new Renters' Rights Act civil penalty regime
The statutory repair timeframes
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 sets out the following statutory timeframe structure. The exact periods (in days) are set by the Awaab's Law Regulations — secondary legislation that can be amended by the Secretary of State:
| Stage | Trigger | Statutory period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgement | Tenant report received | No prescribed period — same-day best practice | Acknowledge in writing; email preferred for audit trail |
| Emergency repair (begin works) | Hazard presents immediate risk to health/safety | 24 hours from notification | Heating failures, serious water ingress, gas reinstatement |
| Investigation period | Tenant report of non-emergency relevant hazard | 14 days from notification | Inspect and record findings within 14 days |
| Repair period | Investigation completed, repair scope determined | Indicative 6 weeks for most repairs (set by Regulations) | Clock runs from end of investigation period |
| Recurring hazard | Hazard recurs after completed repair | Treated as a fresh notification — all periods reset | Indicates root cause was not addressed |
The exact repair periods are set by statutory instrument and can be updated without primary legislation. Always check the Awaab's Law Regulations in force at the date of the tenant's report.
What counts as a relevant hazard
- Damp and mould: Any instance of damp, condensation, rising damp, penetrating damp, or mould growth — regardless of cause or extent. The Act does not require a minimum severity before the obligation is triggered
- HHSRS Category 1 hazards: The 29 hazard categories where the score poses a serious risk — including excess cold, excess heat, falls on stairs, electrical hazards, fire, and entry by intruders
- HHSRS Category 2 hazards: Lower-scoring HHSRS hazards that nonetheless require investigation and repair within the statutory period
- Structural defects causing damp: Roof leaks, failed cavity wall ties, defective pointing, and faulty gutters that cause water ingress into habitable areas all trigger Awaab's Law
Applying new plaster or painting over mould without addressing the underlying cause — inadequate ventilation, structural moisture, thermal bridging — does not comply with Awaab's Law. You must address the root cause. If the mould recurs after a repair, the original repair is evidence of non-compliance.
Building a compliant hazard log
There is no prescribed format for the hazard log, but in any enforcement action you must demonstrate that you received the report, investigated promptly, and completed compliant repairs. Your log should record:
- Report details: Date and time received; method (text, email, phone — keep copies of all); name of tenant; description of hazard as reported
- Acknowledgement: Date and method of acknowledgement; copy of acknowledgement sent to tenant
- Investigation: Date of inspection; who carried out inspection; findings; photographs taken; cause identified; scope of works required
- Emergency categorisation: Whether the hazard met the 24-hour emergency threshold — if yes, date and time works began; contractor name
- Repair works: Works instructed; contractor name; date instructed; date works completed; contractor confirmation
- Post-repair follow-up: Date and method of notification to tenant; date log entry closed
- Recurring reports: Cross-reference with original entry and create a fresh log entry with a note of the recurrence
Many landlords and tenants communicate informally by WhatsApp or SMS. While these records are admissible, email provides a cleaner timestamped audit trail. Use email for all formal hazard acknowledgements and repair confirmations.
Enforcement and penalties
- Improvement Notice: The council can serve an Improvement Notice requiring specified works within a stated period. Non-compliance is a criminal offence — unlimited fine
- Emergency Remedial Action: Where a hazard presents an imminent risk, the council can carry out works itself and recover the cost from the landlord plus an administration charge
- Civil Penalty Notice up to £40,000: For Awaab's Law breaches, the council may issue a Civil Penalty Notice recoverable as a civil debt
- Rent Repayment Order: Tenants living with an unaddressed relevant hazard may apply to the First-tier Tribunal for up to 12 months' rent
- Banning Order: Persistent non-compliance may lead to an application prohibiting the landlord from letting residential property in England
- HMO licence implications: Local authorities take Awaab's Law compliance history into account in HMO and selective licence fitness assessments
Practical Awaab's Law compliance checklist
- Set up a dedicated written hazard reporting channel (email address for repairs and hazards; recorded in the tenancy agreement and welcome pack)
- Brief any managing agent on the Awaab's Law timeframes — the 14-day investigation and 24-hour emergency periods are non-negotiable and the landlord is liable even if the agent delays
- Create a hazard log template with all required fields — date received, acknowledgement, inspection date, findings, works instructed, completion date
- Carry out a pre-tenancy inspection specifically for damp, mould, and HHSRS indicators — photograph every room and external walls
- Check that your buildings insurance policy covers emergency repairs and does not exclude landlord liability claims arising from damp and mould
- Identify a contractor for emergency works (heating, plumbing, structural damp) who can attend within 24 hours — confirm this before each tenancy start
- Train any property manager on the Awaab's Law notification requirements and hazard log procedure