What is Awaab's Law?
Awaab's Law was introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It gives the government power to set legal timescales that social landlords must follow when dealing with certain hazards in their homes, and makes those requirements part of the tenancy agreement. In other words, it is not just guidance that landlords are encouraged to follow — it creates obligations that apply to the tenancy itself.
The requirements came into force for social landlords in England on 27 October 2025. The first phase focuses on damp and mould and on emergency hazards. Phase 2 starts on 30 November 2026, extending the timescales for significant hazards to further risks including excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, explosions, electrical hazards, and domestic hygiene and food safety hazards. The government plans a third phase in 2027 covering most remaining hazards.
Behind the law is a wider change of attitude. For years, many tenants were told that mould was a 'lifestyle' issue caused by drying clothes indoors or not opening windows. Awaab's Law reflects a shift towards treating damp and mould as a genuine health risk that landlords must investigate properly, rather than a cosmetic nuisance tenants are expected to wipe away.
Who does it apply to?
Awaab's Law applies to social landlords in England — that means councils and housing associations (also called registered providers of social housing). If you rent from your local council or a housing association, it is likely to apply to your home.
Private renters are not currently covered by Awaab's Law in the same way. The government has said it intends to apply similar requirements to the private rented sector in future, but private tenants should not assume the same timescales apply to them yet. Other standards remain relevant to private renters, including the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which local councils use to assess hazards in homes.
Whichever type of tenancy you have, the same principle holds: a clear, dated record of what you reported and how your landlord responded will help you whatever route you take.
What does Awaab's Law require landlords to do?
In general terms, Awaab's Law requires social landlords to respond to reports of damp and mould within set timescales, keep tenants informed, and carry out work to make the home safe. Broadly, the requirements include:
- Investigating and making safe emergency hazards — those posing an immediate and significant risk to health or safety — within 24 hours.
- Investigating reported damp and mould hazards that may present a significant risk to health or safety within 10 working days of becoming aware of them.
- Giving the tenant a written summary of the investigation's findings within 3 working days of the investigation concluding.
- Carrying out any work needed to make the home safe within 5 working days of the investigation concluding, and starting any further preventative work within 5 working days (or within 12 weeks where it cannot start sooner), completing it within a reasonable time.
- Offering suitable alternative accommodation where the home cannot be made safe within the required time.
- Taking account of the household's circumstances, including young children, elderly residents and people with health conditions.
When does the clock start?
The timescales run from when the landlord becomes aware of the potential hazard. That is why the date and method of your first report matter so much. If you reported damp and mould by phone and there is no written record, it may later be difficult to show exactly when the landlord was told.
Wherever possible, report in writing — by email, through your landlord's online repairs portal, or by letter — and keep a copy. If you do report by phone, follow up with a short email or message confirming what you said and when. Note any reference number you are given.
What to note when you report
Each report you make becomes part of your record. Try to capture the same details every time:
- The date and time of the report, and how you made it.
- Who you spoke to, if anyone, and any reference number.
- Which rooms are affected and how the problem has changed.
- Any health concerns in the household.
- What the landlord said they would do, and by when.
How tenants can use Awaab's Law effectively
A law that sets timescales is only useful to you if you can show when the clock started and what happened next. That means having a clear, dated record of when you first reported the problem, what you reported, and what the landlord did in response — including inspections, written findings, and any work carried out or missed.
If your landlord misses a timescale, the first step is usually to raise it with them directly and, if that does not resolve things, to make a formal complaint through their complaints procedure. If the problem is still not resolved, you may be able to take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. Our guide to the Housing Ombudsman complaint process explains that route in more detail.
From the very first sign of a problem, keep your own records. Save photographs, note the dates, record any health impacts, keep every message from your landlord, and build a clear timeline. Storing everything in one place — a Housing Issue Case File — is what turns scattered notes into a record that is easy to follow and hard to ignore.
Why recording vulnerability matters
Awaab's Law asks landlords to consider the circumstances of the people living in the home. If your household includes a baby or young child, an elderly person, someone who is pregnant, or anyone with asthma, a respiratory condition, a weakened immune system or a disability, recording this clearly helps ensure your circumstances are properly taken into account.
Keep a simple health diary alongside your photographs: note symptoms, GP or hospital appointments, and any advice you have been given. You do not need to share private medical details you are uncomfortable sharing, but a dated note that a child's asthma has worsened since the mould appeared can be highly relevant.
Common misunderstandings about Awaab's Law
- It does not mean every small patch of mould must be fixed within 24 hours — the shortest timescale is for emergency hazards.
- It does not automatically entitle you to compensation. It sets out what landlords must do; separate routes deal with complaints and claims.
- It does not currently apply to private landlords in the same way.
- It does not remove the need for evidence. Being able to show dates and conditions is still essential.