Awaab’s Law coming – Are you ready?

On 6 February 2025, the Government confirmed Awaab’s Law will come into force from October 2025, forcing social landlords to investigate and fix dangerous homes with a plan for a staged approach to implementation by the Government over the coming years, starting with damp and mould, and marking a major step forward in its mission to transform housing safety and quality. 

Awaab’s Law was introduced by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and focuses on the obligations of social landlords to ensure rental properties are free from damp and mould and also many other hazardous conditions. It effectively inserts into social housing tenancy agreements an additional term that will require landlords to comply with these new requirements. The law was introduced following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak whose death was attributed to prolonged exposure to damp and mould in his family home. 

Awaab’s Law will be introduced by the Government in a phased approach with the aim of ensuring it is implemented as effectively as possible. When addressing the Government’s current plans for the approach to applying Awaab’s Law, Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has said:

“From October, Awaab’s Law will force landlord’s to fix damp and mould as well as carry out emergency repairs. We will then take a step-by-step approach to make the law stronger over time so that landlords will be legally required to fix all dangerous hazards from 2027. These repairs will have to be delivered within set timescales to ensure that landlords are meeting their responsibilities.

However, social landlords must continue to fix dangerous issues in their homes before Awaab’s Law is fully implemented. They already have a duty to keep their homes fit for human habitation and to remedy disrepair, and they must also ensure that their homes meet the Decent Homes Standard. Awaab’s Law will set clearer and stronger laws to ensure that tenants are living in safe homes.”

The Government has confirmed that:

• From October 2025 social landlords will have to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould in set time periods, as well as repair all emergency hazards within 24 hours
• In 2026, requirements will expand to apply to a wider range of hazards with this second stage of implementation likely to include hazards such as excess cold and excess heat; falls; structural collapse; fire; electrical and explosions; and hygiene hazards. 
• From 2027, the aim is that Awaab’s Law will expand to the remaining hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005 (HHSRS) (excluding overcrowding). 

Landlords who fail to comply with Awaab’s Law can be taken to Court by their social tenants.

Whilst the final details are not yet available, the consultation which took place in early 2024 proposed timescales of 14 days from the complaint for initial investigations to be made, written findings being required within 48 hours of an investigation concluding, and then repair work to begin within 7 days of this and be completed within a reasonable period. 

As for emergency repairs which have to be repaired within 24 hours, or the residents re-located, the consultation proposed that emergency repairs be those that present “a significant and imminent risk of harm”. The consultation includes as examples, gas leaks, broken boilers, lack of water supply, electrical hazards such as exposed wiring, significant leaks, broken external doors or windows that present a risk to home security and prevalent damp and mould that is impacting a resident’s ability to breathe.

Richard Blakeway of the Housing Ombudsman has made a statement following the Government’s announcement in regards to the implementation of Awaab’s Law, stating:

“The expectations are clear and landlords should not wait until the last moment to make changes but extend the discipline of Awaab’s Law to other hazards as soon as possible, especially when handling mould alongside other hazards in the same home or block.” 

Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, has confirmed that further reforms will be introduced which are designed to drive up standards across social housing in the coming months in order to build greater trust and transparency between landlords and tenants. Mr Pennycook said the government will:

• Introduce powers through the Renters’ Rights Bill to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector; 
• Consult on a new Decent Homes Standard and minimum energy efficiency standards, to ensure tenant’s homes are made safe, warm and free from disrepair; and
• Legislate to require social landlords to carry out electrical safety checks at least every 5 years, as well as mandatory applicable inspections on all electrical appliances that are provided by the landlord. 

These statements make it clear that social housing landlords are expected to start considering the changes being implemented by Awaab’s Law without delay and should not leave it until the last moment to make these changes. We will be keeping an eye out for more guidance from the government, as to the implementation of these changes. However, in the meantime we recommend all registered providers take urgent steps to: 

• ensure that they are reviewing internal policies on responsive repairs, specifically around how repairs are reported, how progress is monitored, timelines and communication channels with residents;
• that they have sufficient resources (internally or externally) to implement any changes required and ensure repairs are completed; and
• that they consider data that they obtain via their stock condition surveys to assist to identify issues ahead of the October 2025 deadline. 

If you are a registered provider of social housing and would like further help and guidance, please contact
Sarah Orchard or Louise Mansfield. We regret that we are unable to provide legal advice to individual residents.