Awaab's Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social housing flat in Rochdale. His death was a tragedy that should never have happened, and it exposed systemic failures in how housing providers respond to reports of damp and mould. The resulting legislation, originally introduced for social housing, is now being extended to the private rented sector by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (c. 26), which comes into force on 1 May 2026.
The Background
Awaab Ishak's family repeatedly reported mould in their housing association flat. Despite multiple complaints over a period of years, the housing provider failed to take effective action. The coroner who investigated Awaab's death found that it was caused by prolonged exposure to mould and that the housing provider had failed in its duty of care. The case prompted the government to introduce strict timeframes for social housing providers to respond to hazard reports. These requirements were initially included in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and are now being extended to private landlords through the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
What Awaab's Law Requires
Awaab's Law imposes specific, legally binding timeframes on landlords for responding to reports of hazards, with a particular focus on damp and mould. The timeframes established for social housing under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 are as follows:
- **Investigation within 14 days**: When a tenant reports a hazard such as damp, mould, or condensation, the landlord must investigate and provide a written response within 14 calendar days. This response must explain what was found, whether remedial work is needed, and the timeline for carrying it out.
- **Repairs started within 7 days**: If the investigation identifies that remedial work is required, that work must begin within 7 calendar days of the written response being provided to the tenant.
- **Emergency action within 24 hours**: Where the hazard poses an immediate risk to the health or safety of the tenant, the landlord must take emergency action within 24 hours of becoming aware of the issue.
- **Completion within a reasonable time**: All remedial work must be completed within a reasonable period, taking into account the nature and extent of the problem. For straightforward issues such as treating surface mould or fixing a leak, completion within a few weeks is expected. For more complex problems requiring structural work, a longer period may be acceptable, but the landlord must be able to demonstrate that work is progressing.
**Important caveat for private landlords:** These specific timeframes (14 days, 7 days, 24 hours) currently apply to social housing providers under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 extends the Awaab's Law framework to the private rented sector, but the PRS-specific secondary legislation setting out confirmed timeframes for private landlords has not yet been published. The social housing timeframes are widely expected to inform the PRS requirements, and landlords would be wise to treat them as the benchmark. However, the final timeframes for private landlords may differ once the secondary legislation is laid before Parliament. You should monitor gov.uk for updates on the PRS regulations as they are published.
How It Applies to Private Landlords
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the Awaab's Law framework will apply to all private landlords in England once the relevant secondary legislation is in force. Previously, private landlords had obligations under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and the Housing Act 2004 to keep properties safe, but there were no specific timeframes for responding to hazard reports. Awaab's Law changes that by setting clear, enforceable deadlines.
What Counts as a Hazard Report?
A hazard report does not need to follow any particular format. It can be a phone call, text message, email, or letter. If a tenant tells you there is mould, damp, a persistent leak, or any condition that could affect their health, that is a hazard report and the clock starts ticking. You should have a clear process for logging and responding to reports to demonstrate compliance.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Local authorities will be responsible for enforcing Awaab's Law in the private rented sector. If you fail to investigate a hazard report within 14 days, fail to start remedial work within 7 days of your written response, or fail to take emergency action where required, the local authority can take enforcement action. This can include improvement notices, civil penalties of up to 7,000 pounds for an initial or minor breach and up to 40,000 pounds for serious or repeat breaches, and in serious cases, prosecution. Repeated failures or a pattern of non-compliance will be treated particularly seriously.
Practical Steps to Prepare
You should take several practical steps now to prepare for Awaab's Law:
- Set up a system for logging tenant hazard reports, including the date received, the nature of the report, and your response
- Establish relationships with reliable contractors who can inspect and repair at short notice
- Inspect your properties proactively for signs of damp, mould, and condensation before tenants need to report them
- Respond to every report in writing to create a clear paper trail
Take Action
Awaab's Law is a serious obligation with real consequences. Make sure you are prepared. Generate your complete landlord document pack to ensure your compliance documentation is in order before May 2026.
Read more about your full obligations in our Renters' Rights Act plain English guide, or check your readiness with the free RRA Compliance Checker.