Government confirms introduction of ‘Awaab’s Law’ in phases from October 2025

A law to force social landlords to investigate and fix hazards within a set timescale will be introduced in phases from October 2025, the Government has announced.

The legislation has been named ‘Awaab’s Law’ in honour of Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his social home.

The Government said social landlords will have to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould within a set amount of time as well as repair all emergency hazards within 24 hours. 

Landlords who fail to comply face being taken to court, “with social tenants able to use the full powers of the law to hold them to account”, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said.

The Ministry said Awaab’s Law would be introduced through a ‘phased approach’ to ensure it is applied as effectively as possible.

“This means that the protections it provides to damp and mould will be introduced quickly, which would not have been possible if the government applied the law to a wider group of hazards from the outset,” it added.

“This will also allow the government to test and learn so that the reforms benefit social tenants and secure the lasting legacy that Awaab Isaak’s family have fought so hard for.”

The phases are as follows:

1. From October 2025 social landlords will have to address damp and mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm to tenants according to fixed timescales.
2. From October 2025 social landlords will also have to address all emergency repairs including for damp and mould or other hazards as soon as possible and within no longer than 24 hours.
3. In 2026, requirements will expand to apply to a wider range of hazards. These include: excess cold and excess heat; falls; structural collapse; fire; electrical and explosions; and hygiene hazards.
4. Then in 2027, the requirements of Awaab’s Law will expand to the remaining hazards as defined by the HHSRS (excluding overcrowding).

The MHCLG said the Government will introduce powers through the Renters’ Rights Bill to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector, and will hold a consultation on how this will apply “in a way that works for the sector and is fair and proportionate for tenants and landlords”.

The Government will also consult on a new Decent Homes Standard and minimum energy efficiency standards, to ensure all tenants’ homes are made "safe, warm, and free from disrepair".

There are plans as well to legislate to require social landlords to carry out electrical safety checks at least every five years, as well as undertake mandatory appliance inspections on all electrical appliances that are provided by the landlord.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “We have a moral duty to ensure tragedies like the death of Awaab Ishak never happen again.

“Landlords cannot be allowed to rent out dangerous homes and shamelessly put the lives of their tenants at risk.

“Our new laws will force them to fix problems quickly, so that people are safe in their homes and can be proud to live in social housing.”

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said: “Awaab Ishak’s family have tenaciously and courageously fought to secure justice, not only for their son but for all those who live in social housing.

“Awaab’s Law will help to drive a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing, ensuring tenants are treated with fairness and respect”.

Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, welcomed the further protections for renters living in hazardous conditions and the proposed extension to private landlords.

He said: “When most residents have little choice over their landlord, these measures will give them greater power to challenge poor living conditions. 

“We have seen some progress two years after the inquest into Awaab Ishak’s death. We can see landlords investing more into repairs, using new technology and changing the culture of housing management. Those landlords should be recognised for the steps they have taken to make homes better in this vital sector.”

But Blakeway added: “Despite this progress, we still repeatedly find significant and preventable failings in handling potential health hazards in homes… Around half of our casework still concerns damp and mould.

“Therefore, it is right that government has prioritised action on mould, but also committed to introducing Awaab’s Law to other hazards.

“The expectations are clear and landlords should not wait until the last moment to make changes but extend the discipline of Awaab’s Law to other hazards as soon as possible, especially when handling mould alongside other hazards in the same home or block. This would avoid the shocking conditions we see in some cases, including children living with bedroom windows boarded up for years, older people experiencing broken boilers in winter and dead rats making homes uninhabitable.”

Cllr Adam Hug, Housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: “Everyone deserves a safe, decent, warm and affordable place to live, and health hazards should be investigated and fixed in a timely manner.

“It’s positive that the introduction of Awaab’s Law will be phased in and that the initial focus will be on damp and mould, as the LGA has called for. 

“However, councils still need sufficient funding to mitigate the existing pressures on housing stock to be able to put these measures in place as swiftly as needed. It is vital that a long-term, sustainable funding framework for social housing is introduced as quickly as possible.”

Harry Rodd