What Social Landlords Need to Know About the New Draft Guidance
The UK Government has released draft guidance for Awaab’s Law – a new legal duty on social landlords to act swiftly when serious health hazards like damp and mould are reported. This important law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who tragically died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing flat.
The new rules aim to prevent similar tragedies by holding social landlords accountable for addressing dangerous housing conditions within strict legal timeframes.
For full details on how Awaab’s Law will work, what’s expected of landlords, and how tenants are protected, view the official document below:
Awaab’s Law: Draft guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK)
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law introduces a legal requirement for social landlords in England to investigate and repair hazardous conditions in tenants’ homes within set deadlines.
The law will be implemented in three phases from October 2025 through 2027.
Phase 1: Key Rules Starting October 2025
From 27 October 2025, landlords must comply with strict deadlines to tackle:
| Hazard Type | Investigation Deadline | Repairs Start Deadline | Summary for Tenant |
| Emergency (e.g. gas leak, fire risk) | Within 24 hours | Immediately / Same day | Not required |
| Significant (e.g. mould, damp affecting health) | Within 10 working days | Within 5 working days | Written summary within 3 working days |
Other key points:
- If repairs can’t be completed within 5 working days, physical work must begin within 12 weeks.
- If the property becomes unsafe, the landlord must provide temporary accommodation at no cost to the tenant.
- Tenants must receive a written investigation summary explaining findings, timelines, and actions to be taken.
What Hazards Are Covered?
Phase 1 (From October 2025):
- Damp and mould
- Emergency hazards
Phase 2 (2026):
- Fire risks
- Electrical hazards
- Structural instability
- Excess cold or heat
- Explosions
- Sanitation issues
Phase 3 (2027):
- All remaining HHSRS hazards (except overcrowding)
Legal Protection for Tenants
- These requirements will be legally implied into tenancy agreements, meaning tenants can take legal action if landlords fail to comply.
- Landlords will only have a legal defence if they can prove they took all reasonable steps to comply within the deadlines.
Supporting Regulations and Monitoring
Awaab’s Law will be enforced alongside:
The Regulator of Social Housing’s consumer standards
- The Housing Ombudsman Service
- New data standards (being developed with HACT) to help landlords track and report hazards more transparently
Awaab’s Law is a landmark change in how we protect people especially children in social housing. If you’re a landlord, now’s the time to review your policies, train your teams, and ensure rapid response systems are in place. If you’re a tenant, this law empowers you with clear rights and protections.
