Awaab's Law and Social Housing

The Government has announced the forthcoming implementation of Awaab's Law, which will take effect for the social housing sector from October 2025. Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed that:- “We intend to act as quickly as possible to bring all relevant hazards within the scope of new legal requirements, but to ensure its effective implementation we will implement Awaab’s Law through a phased approach.”

The phased implementation will prioritise damp and mould hazards, ensuring these critical issues are addressed sooner, explaining that this approach would allow for a period of testing and learning to guarantee the reform is effective, sustainable, and beneficial to social housing tenants.

Awaab's Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died due to prolonged exposure to mould in his family's housing association property, mandates social landlords to respond to identified hazards within specified timeframes. The law was passed as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023; however, secondary legislation is necessary for its enforcement across the sector.

The implementation timeline for Awaab's Law is as follows:

• October 2025: Social landlords must address damp and mould hazards that pose a significant health risk within prescribed timeframes. Additionally, emergency repairs of any nature must be resolved as swiftly as possible and within a maximum of 24 hours.

• 2026: The law's requirements will be extended to address other hazards such as excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire risks, electrical hazards, explosions, and hygiene-related concerns.

• 2027: The law will apply to all remaining hazards identified by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, except for overcrowding.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the phased approach does not absolve social landlords of their existing responsibilities. She said: “Awaab’s Law establishes timeframes for social landlords to act. It will also be enforceable through routes such as the Housing Ombudsman and, ultimately, the courts. However, social landlords already have a duty to keep their homes fit for human habitation, free of Category 1 hazards and to remedy disrepair. The government expects those duties to be met.”

Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, welcomed the new measures, stating: “We welcome these new measures to provide further protections for renters living in hazardous conditions and its extension to private landlords. It is a basic human right to live in a safe and decent home.”

The introduction of Awaab's Law is set to act as a catalyst for social landlords to improve hazard management practices, modernise repair services, and prioritise tenant safety. In addition to Awaab's Law, the Renters' Rights Bill is expected to introduce the Decent Homes Standard, likely through secondary legislation. This broader legislative framework aims to ensure all private rented properties meet minimum health, safety, and habitability requirements.

Credit: Susie Crolla (GLM)