Under the Renters’ Rights Act, the government plans to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector, introducing time limits for investigating problems and completing the necessary work. The specific requirements will be confirmed in future regulations.
The legislation already applies to social housing, where social landlords must follow set deadlines when dealing with qualifying hazards. Tenants can also take legal action if those requirements aren’t met.
To prepare for the extension, the government published a consultation on 9th October 2026, inviting views on how the rules should operate in private rentals.
- What is Awaab’s Law?
- Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords?
- How will tenants be able to enforce Awaab’s Law against private landlords?
- How Awaab’s Law works in social housing
- What could Awaab’s Law mean for private landlords?
- How to prepare as a private landlord
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What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law was introduced following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, after prolonged exposure to mould in the social housing flat he and his family lived. His death highlighted the serious health risks damp and mould can pose when left untreated.
Introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the law requires social landlords to investigate and address specified hazards, including damp and mould, within set deadlines.
If a landlord fails to meet these deadlines, tenants can take legal action. The law has applied to social housing since 27th October 2025, with the Renters’ Rights Act set to extend similar requirements to private landlords once the necessary regulations are in place.
Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords?
Not yet. The Renters’ Rights Act will extend Awaab’s Law to private rented homes in England by changing the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. This will bring private landlords with assured periodic tenancies within its scope.
The Act also allows the government to extend the rules to certain types of accommodation occupied under a licence rather than a tenancy.
However, the exact deadlines and hazards covered still need to be confirmed in regulations, which will follow a government consultation.
Until then, you must continue to deal with repairs within a reasonable time and ensure your properties remain fit for human habitation. Awaab’s Law will not apply to long leases of seven years or more.
Will it create new repair obligations for private landlords?
Not in terms of the repairs themselves. Private landlords already have a legal duty to maintain the structure, exterior and key installations of their properties, and to ensure their homes are fit for human habitation.
The aim of Awaab’s Law is to set clear deadlines and procedures for dealing with hazards, rather than introduce new repair responsibilities. The government’s consultation explains that landlords will need to follow specific timescales when carrying out work they’re already legally required to do.
Enforcement will also work differently. While councils can take action against hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), tenants will be able to enforce Awaab’s Law through the courts or, once established, the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Landlord Ombudsman.
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When will it start applying to the private rented sector?
The government has identified 2027 as the earliest possible start date for extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector. However, its impact assessment plans for a phased rollout across 2028, 2029 and 2030.
The consultation also asks whether the PRS Landlord Ombudsman, expected to launch in 2028, should be in place first. This would give tenants a more affordable way to raise complaints than going straight to court.
The timeline below sets out how Awaab’s Law has developed so far, alongside the proposed rollout for private landlords. The later dates are based on the government’s impact assessment and may change as further details are confirmed.
| Date | Key development |
|---|---|
| December 2020 | Awaab Ishak dies following prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing flat. |
| November 2022 | A coroner’s report highlights the landlord’s failure to address mould despite repeated complaints. |
| July 2023 | The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 gives the government the power to introduce Awaab’s Law for social housing. |
| October 2025 | The first phase of Awaab’s Law takes effect for social housing, covering damp and mould and all emergency hazards. |
| May 2026 | Renters’ Rights Act tenancy reforms come into force for the private rented sector. |
| October 2026 | The government publishes its consultation on extending Awaab’s Law to private rented homes and certain licensed accommodation. |
| November 2026 | Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law is due to take effect for social housing, subject to parliamentary approval. |
| December 2026 | The consultation on extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector closes. |
| 2027 | Phase 3 is planned for social housing. This is also the earliest possible start date for the private rented sector. |
| 2028 | The proposed first phase for private landlords would cover emergency hazards and damp and mould hazards that pose a significant risk to tenants’ health. The PRS Landlord Ombudsman is also expected to launch. |
| 2029 to 2030 | The second and third phases of the proposed rollout for private landlords. |
The proposed dates for the private rented sector are based on the October 2026 impact assessment. The final timetable will depend on the outcome of the consultation and the regulations that follow.
How will tenants be able to enforce Awaab’s Law against private landlords?
Awaab’s Law will give tenants the right to take legal action if their landlord fails to investigate hazards or carry out repairs within the required deadlines.
If a court finds that a landlord has breached these requirements, it can:
- Order the landlord to carry out the necessary repairs
- Award compensation to the tenant
- Require the landlord to cover some or all of the tenant’s legal costs
Landlords may have a defence if they can show they took all reasonable steps to meet the deadlines. Keeping a clear record of reports, inspections and repair work will therefore be very important.
What role will councils play?
Councils won’t directly enforce Awaab’s Law deadlines or issue civil penalties for missing them. Instead, tenants will be able to pursue breaches through the courts as a matter of contract law.
However, councils can still take action against serious hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Tenants can report a hazard to their council, but missed Awaab’s Law deadlines will be dealt with separately.
Can tenants complain without going to court?
Yes. Once the PRS Landlord Ombudsman launches, currently expected in 2028, tenants will be able to raise complaints for free without taking their landlord to court.
The government is consulting on whether the Ombudsman should be in place before Awaab’s Law is extended to private landlords, giving tenants a more accessible way to resolve disputes.
This approach is similar to the new rules on keeping pets in rental properties. In both cases, tenants can enforce their rights through the courts, with the Ombudsman expected to provide an additional route for resolving complaints once it’s available.
How Awaab’s Law works in social housing
The rules for social housing offer a useful guide to what private landlords may eventually need to follow.
Since October 2025, social landlords have had to investigate significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days, provide a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation ending, and make the home safe within 5 working days.
Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. If the property can’t be made safe within the required timeframe, the landlord must provide suitable temporary accommodation at their own expense.
Awaab’s Law is being introduced in three phases for social housing.
- Phase 1, which began on 27th October 2025, covers significant damp and mould hazards and all emergency hazards.
- Phase 2, due to start on 30th November 2026, adds nine more hazards, including excess cold, electrical hazards and fire.
- Phase 3, planned for 2027, will cover the remaining hazards, including asbestos, lead, poor lighting and noise. The rollout timetable for the final phase is yet to be confirmed.
What could Awaab’s Law mean for private landlords?
The government is consulting on extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector (PRS), with proposals covering how landlords investigate hazards, carry out repairs and protect tenants when a home is unsafe, among other things.
The consultation contains 64 questions. One of the key challenges is adapting rules designed for social housing to a sector made up largely of smaller landlords.
According to the English Private Landlord Survey 2024, around 83% of private landlords own fewer than five properties, so requirements that work for large housing providers may need a different approach.
Which hazards would be covered?
The proposals cover 21 of the 29 hazards listed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), excluding overcrowding. Guidance would also clarify that landlords cannot dismiss damp and mould reports simply by blaming a tenant’s “lifestyle”.
How quickly would landlords need to act?
The consultation explores several deadlines for investigating hazards, making properties safe and providing written updates.
For investigations, the options are five or 15 working days, compared with the 10-day deadline for social housing. For making a property safe, the options are three, five or 10 working days. The government is also considering whether written investigation summaries should be provided within one, three or five working days.
The proposals raise practical questions about finding qualified inspectors, arranging specialist repairs and managing the administrative workload, particularly for landlords with just one or two properties.
What about emergency repairs?
Social landlords must address emergency hazards within 24 hours. For private rentals, the consultation considers a 12- or 48-hour deadline, alongside how landlords could respond to emergencies outside normal working hours and the cost of out-of-hours call-outs.
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Would landlords need to provide alternative accommodation?
The government is considering whether private landlords should have to arrange alternative accommodation if a property cannot be made safe in time.
This could be particularly challenging for smaller landlords. Around 45% own just one property, and the consultation raises concerns about accommodation costs, suitability, delays to repairs and possible effects on rents.
What if repairs depend on a freeholder?
Leasehold properties create another complication. Around 40% of privately rented homes are leasehold, meaning some repairs may depend on the freeholder. The government is considering whether these hazards should be excluded or whether landlords should be required to take reasonable steps to get the work done.
Moreover, using a letting agent would not remove the landlord’s responsibility for meeting the deadlines. Some management agreements may therefore need to be updated to clarify who handles reports, repairs and tenant communications.
When could the rules come into force?
The government favours a phased introduction, starting with damp and mould and emergency hazards before extending the rules to others.
The consultation asks whether implementation should begin in 2027, 2028 or 2029, and whether the PRS Landlord Ombudsman should be established first.
The proposals also consider certain licensed accommodation, including some supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and accommodation for care leavers. Not every licence arrangement would be covered, and lodgers are excluded.
What happens next?
The consultation will help shape how Awaab’s Law applies to private landlords. The central question is how to give tenants stronger protection from serious hazards while ensuring the rules are practical for landlords to follow.
For now, the deadlines and requirements remain proposals. The final rules will determine what landlords need to do, and how quickly, when a tenant reports a serious problem.
How to prepare as a private landlord
Awaab’s Law isn’t expected to extend to private rentals before 2027, and implementation could be pushed back to 2028 or 2029. But you shouldn’t wait for the final rules to start preparing.
You already have a legal duty to keep your property in good repair and fit for people to live in. The new rules will add specific deadlines for investigating hazards and carrying out repairs, with tenants able to seek legal remedies or complain to the Ombudsman once it’s established.
Acting quickly is one thing. Being able to prove you did so is another. Here are six practical steps to get ahead.
1. Keep a record of repairs and investigations
If a tenant reports a problem, make a note of what happened and when. A clear paper trail could help demonstrate that you took reasonable steps to meet your obligations.
Your records should include when you first heard about the issue, the investigation and its findings, any immediate safety measures, and the repairs that followed. If work was delayed because you needed a specialist or couldn’t get access to the property, record that too.
A simple spreadsheet or notebook will do. What matters is having a dated record you can refer back to.
2. Set out a clear process for emergencies
Tenants need to know what counts as an emergency, who to contact and what to do if a serious problem arises outside normal working hours.
Put the process in writing and make sure tenants can easily find it. Social housing landlords currently have 24 hours to investigate and make safe an emergency hazard. The consultation considers different deadlines for private landlords, including 12, 24 or 48 hours.
Having a plan in place now will make it easier to respond when time is critical.
3. Find reliable contractors before you need them
A boiler breaking down on a weekday is one thing. Finding someone to deal with a serious hazard at the weekend is another.
Having reliable tradespeople lined up, including specialists who can investigate damp and mould, can make it easier to arrange repairs quickly. In this case, OpenRent’s Management Plus can act as your crisis safety net, giving your tenants 24/7 support for major emergencies, while leaving you in full control of day-to-day maintenance with access to a vetted network of contractors.
Getting the right support in place now can help you respond quickly to problems and prepare for when Awaab’s Law comes into force.
4. Don’t put off investigating damp and mould
Damp and mould are expected to be among the first hazards covered by Awaab’s Law. You already have a duty to investigate the causes, so it’s worth getting into good habits now.
Look for warning signs during property inspections, including blocked gutters, faulty extractor fans and leaks. As the weather gets colder, condensation can also become more noticeable, particularly behind furniture and around external walls.
Regular inspections can help you catch problems before they become more serious. For further guidance, read our article on your and your tenants’ responsibilities around damp and mould in rental properties.
5. Know where your leasehold responsibilities begin and end
If you let out a leasehold property, some repairs may depend on the freeholder or managing agent. A roof leak, for example, could cause damp inside your flat even if you’re not responsible for repairing the roof itself.
Check your lease so you understand who is responsible for what, how to report problems and how to follow up if repairs stall. Where someone else controls the work, knowing the correct process can help prevent avoidable delays.
6. Respond to the government consultation
The government says it has limited evidence about how quickly private landlords currently respond to hazards. Questions 55 to 60 specifically ask about landlords’ experiences.
This is an opportunity to explain what works in practice and where the proposed deadlines could create difficulties. You don’t have to answer every question to have your say.
You can respond through the government’s online consultation.
