Awaab’s Law introduced fixed deadlines for social landlords in England to investigate and make dangerous housing hazards safe. The first phase came into force on 27 October 2025, and the government intends to extend the law to the private rented sector under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
However, the position is not yet the same for social and private landlords. The current Awaab’s Law deadlines apply to social housing in England. As at 30 September 2026, separate regulations setting the requirements and timescales for private landlords have not yet been made.
Private landlords still have existing legal duties to keep homes in repair, fit for human habitation and free from serious hazards. Here is what landlords and tenants need to know.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law is named in memory of Awaab Ishak, a two year old boy who died following prolonged exposure to mould in his social rented home.
In England, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 amended the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to enable legal deadlines for social landlords to investigate and remedy prescribed hazards. The detailed requirements are contained in the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025.
The law is being introduced in phases.
Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords in England?
The fixed Awaab’s Law deadlines currently apply to social landlords in England. They do not yet apply to private landlords.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 provides for Awaab’s Law to be extended to the private rented sector. It allows regulations to set requirements for private landlords to address hazards such as damp and mould within specified periods.
The government has said it will consult on how Awaab’s Law should work in the private rented sector, recognising the differences between private and social housing. As at 30 September 2026, the detailed PRS requirements, hazards and deadlines have not been set.
Private landlords should therefore avoid treating the social housing deadlines as if they are already statutory PRS deadlines. They should still investigate and deal with damp, mould and other hazards promptly under their existing legal obligations.
What currently applies to social housing in England?
Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law took effect on 27 October 2025. It covers:
- all emergency hazards, except overcrowding; and
- significant damp and mould hazards.
Under the current rules, social landlords must:
- investigate a potential emergency hazard and complete relevant safety work within 24 hours of becoming aware of it;
- investigate a potential significant hazard within 10 working days of becoming aware of it;
- give the tenant a written summary of the investigation within three working days after it concludes;
- complete relevant safety work within five working days after an investigation identifies a significant hazard;
- begin, or take steps to begin, supplementary preventative work within five working days after the investigation concludes;
- if supplementary preventative work cannot begin within five working days, start it as soon as reasonably practicable and within 12 weeks;
- complete supplementary preventative work within a reasonable period;
- provide suitable alternative accommodation at the landlord’s expense if relevant safety work cannot be completed within the required period; and
- keep the tenant updated and provide safety information if the property is not vacated.
These duties depend on the statutory definitions and the facts of the case. Not every report of damp or mould will automatically be a “significant hazard”, but landlords must assess reports properly and consider the tenant’s circumstances.
What changes under Phase 2?
The government says Phase 2 will take effect for social housing on 30 November 2026. As at 30 September 2026, the published amended regulations remain subject to parliamentary approval.
Phase 2 is intended to extend the significant hazard requirements to:
- excess cold;
- excess heat;
- falls on the level, on stairs and between levels;
- structural collapse;
- fire and explosions;
- electrical hazards; and
- domestic hygiene, including personal hygiene and food safety.
Emergency hazards within the wider scope are already covered by Phase 1, except overcrowding. A later Phase 3 is intended to extend the law to the remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards, excluding overcrowding.
What duties do private landlords already have?
The absence of Awaab’s Law deadlines for England’s private rented sector does not mean landlords can delay action.
Keeping the structure and installations in repair
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 generally requires landlords of relevant short residential leases to keep the structure and exterior in repair. This includes drains, gutters and external pipes. Landlords must also keep installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating and water heating in repair and proper working order.
These responsibilities may be relevant where damp or mould is linked to a leaking roof, defective guttering, damaged pipework, inadequate heating or another item for which the landlord is responsible.
Keeping the home fit for human habitation
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 amended the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. It generally requires relevant rented homes in England to be fit for human habitation at the start of the tenancy and remain fit throughout it.
Whether a home is unfit depends on the condition of the property and whether it is reasonably suitable for occupation. Damp, inadequate ventilation, insufficient natural lighting, water supply problems and other prescribed hazards can be relevant.
Where a landlord breaches the duty, a tenant may take court action. A court may order work to be carried out and may award compensation.
Housing Health and Safety Rating System
Local councils use the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, or HHSRS, to assess risks to occupants under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004. Damp and mould is one of the hazards considered.
Councils must take appropriate enforcement action when they identify a Category 1 hazard and have powers to act in relation to Category 2 hazards. The available measures can include improvement notices, prohibition orders and emergency action, depending on the circumstances.
How should private landlords respond to damp and mould?
Although the future PRS Awaab’s Law regulations have not yet set fixed deadlines, landlords should take every report seriously and respond without unnecessary delay.
A sensible process includes:
- Record the date, time and details of the report.
- Check whether anyone may be at immediate risk and whether urgent action is needed.
- Arrange an appropriate inspection by someone with suitable competence.
- Identify the source of moisture and assess the extent of the problem.
- Deal with immediate risks and create a plan to address the root cause.
- Explain the findings, proposed work and likely timing to the tenant in writing.
- Keep the tenant updated where appointments, parts or more extensive work cause delay.
- Check that the work has resolved the problem and has not simply removed visible mould.
- Retain an audit trail of reports, inspections, communications and completed work.
Landlords should not automatically attribute damp or mould to the tenant’s lifestyle. Cooking, bathing, heating and drying clothes all create moisture, but building defects, inadequate ventilation, poor insulation or ineffective heating may cause or worsen the problem. The cause should be assessed on the evidence.
How can landlords prepare for the extension to private renting?
The exact PRS regulations are still to come, but private landlords and agents can prepare by:
- Reviewing how repair reports are received and escalated;
- Ensuring tenants have an accessible route for reporting urgent problems;
- identifying contractors who can assess and respond to hazards promptly;
- creating standard inspection and written outcome templates;
- setting internal targets for triage, inspection, communication and repairs;
- reviewing contractor availability and out of hours arrangements;
- training staff not to dismiss damp and mould as tenant behaviour without investigation;
- recording relevant vulnerability information lawfully and proportionately; and
- following government announcements on consultation, regulations and commencement.
How Your Move can help
Landlords face a changing regulatory landscape as well as day to day responsibilities for repairs, safety and tenant communication.
Our local lettings teams can help landlords understand their property management options and keep their processes under review as further details of Awaab’s Law for England’s private rented sector emerge.
Your Move Emarketing Executive
