Awaab’s Law Explained: What It Means and Who It Covers Right Now

Legal position current as of build time — implementation dates for later phases can move, so check gov.uk’s Awaab’s Law guidance for the latest before relying on this for a live dispute.

Where the law came from

Awaab’s Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing home in Rochdale. A coroner concluded the mould exposure contributed to his death. His family had reported the damp and mould repeatedly, but the landlord did not take the necessary action. The law was introduced via the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which added a new section (10A) to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, allowing the government to set specific, enforceable timescales for social landlords to deal with hazards.

Who it currently applies to

Awaab’s Law applies to registered providers of social housing in England — housing associations and local authority landlords. It does not currently apply to private landlords, though the Renters’ Rights Act contains provision to extend equivalent protections to the private rented sector at a later, unconfirmed date. If you rent privately, see our separate guide on what to do if your landlord won’t fix damp.

The phased timeline

• 27 October 2025 (Phase 1, in force now): social landlords must investigate hazards, including all emergency hazards and any damp and mould that presents a significant risk of harm, and act within fixed timescales.
• 30 November 2026 (Phase 2): the same fixed-timescale duties extend to a wider set of Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards, including excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse and explosions, fire and electrical hazards, and hygiene/food safety hazards.
• 2027 (Phase 3, exact date not yet confirmed): the duties extend to almost all remaining HHSRS hazards, except overcrowding.

What Phase 1 actually requires (damp and mould)

Under Phase 1, if you report a damp or mould hazard, your social landlord must investigate within a fixed number of working days and give you their findings in writing shortly after. If the hazard is found to present a significant risk of harm, they must take action within fixed maximum timescales rather than an open-ended “when we get to it.” Anything classed as an emergency hazard — an imminent risk of harm — must be made safe within 24 hours.

What it doesn’t cover

• Private rented housing (not yet, though the Renters’ Rights Act plans to extend it).
• Owner-occupied homes.
• Shared ownership or licence-based accommodation, in most cases.
• Hazards outside the current phase’s scope, until later phases come into force.

If you’re a social housing tenant

Report the hazard formally (in writing, so there’s a record) to your landlord or housing association. If they miss the required timescales, you may be able to take action for breach of section 10A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — see our guide on landlord obligations and how to escalate for the practical next steps.