Awaab's law: the latest

Awaab's Law, formally enacted through the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, represents one of the most significant reforms to housing safety obligations in a generation. Named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in December 2020 from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social housing home, the legislation introduces strict, enforceable timescales for social landlords to investigate and remedy hazards.

The legislative framework was introduced through section 42 of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which implies into social housing leases a covenant requiring landlords to comply with prescribed requirements for addressing hazards within specified timeframes.

Phase 1: In Force Since October 2025

Phase 1 of Awaab's Law came into force on 27 October 2025 and focuses on damp and mould hazards alongside all emergency hazards. As we previously explained, emergency hazards,  defined as those posing "an imminent and significant risk of harm"  must be investigated and remediated within 24 hours of being reported. Social landlords must investigate reports of damp or mould within 14 days, provide a written report to the tenant, and carry out necessary repairs within 7 days of the report being issued. Where repairs cannot be completed within those timescales, the landlord must offer the tenant suitable alternative accommodation.

As we highlighted in that article, property managers and surveyors should be particularly alive to these requirements. Property managers should ensure that inspections are up to date, implement robust systems for tenants to report hazards, and establish reliable arrangements with surveyors and contractors to meet the statutory deadlines. Surveyors, for their part, will need systems to prioritize emergency inspections and deliver reports quickly, since delays could put the landlord in breach. The only defence available for landlords to an allegation of breach is that the landlord used "all reasonable endeavours" to avoid it.

Phase 2: Coming Into Force on 30 November 2026

On 13 July 2026, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook confirmed that Phase 2 of Awaab's Law will come into force on 30 November 2026.   Phase 2 extends the same strict remediation timescales to seven additional hazard categories: electrical hazards, falls and trip risks, fire and explosion risks, excess cold, excess heat, structural collapse and falling elements, and domestic hygiene issues including pest infestations.

For the construction sector, Phase 2 is particularly significant. Unlike damp and mould, many of these hazards arise from "built-in" defects inherent in the original design or structural fabric of a building. Remediation costs are therefore likely to be considerably higher, and social landlords who find themselves in breach of the Regulations will increasingly look for recourse against housebuilders and the supply chain. Contractual claims under development agreements, building contracts, and collateral warranties are the obvious route where works were completed within the last 6 or 12 years (depending on the type of contract). Additionally, the Building Safety Act 2022's extension of limitation periods under the Defective Premises Act 1972, to 30 years retrospectively and 15 years prospectively, means that claims could be brought against construction professionals for longer periods for many Phase 2 hazards which could be framed as breaches of the duty to build dwellings in a workmanlike manner and fit for habitation.

Looking Ahead

Phase 3 is expected in 2027 and will extend Awaab's Law to all remaining hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, excluding overcrowding.   As we indicated at the start of the year, the government has also signalled its intention to extend Awaab's Law to the private rented sector through the Renters' Rights Act 2025, with the Decent Homes Standard expected to apply to private rentals by 2035 or 2037.

We will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates as Phase 2 implementation progresses.