Awaab’s Law Deadline Confirmed
Social landlords across the UK must act now to meet the strict new requirements of Awaab’s Law, which will legally mandate timely repairs to dangerous homes from October 2025. On February 6, 2025, the UK government confirmed these changes, which include a strict 24-hour deadline for emergency repairs and severe consequences for non-compliance.
This legal requirement comes as part of Awaab’s Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically lost his life in December 2020 due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home. This incident underscored the need for stricter housing regulations to ensure that social tenants are protected from serious hazards such as damp and mould. You can read more about Awaab’s Law in our ‘Mould Management for Housing Associations’ article.
While Awaab’s Law is already part of the Social Housing Act 2023, secondary legislation will bring it into full effect across the sector. Housing providers must act now to avoid penalties and ensure compliance by October 2025.
Phased Implementation
To ensure smooth implementation, the UK government has introduced a phased rollout of Awaab’s Law, gradually expanding its scope over three years:
- October 2025: Initial focus on damp and mould. Social landlords must investigate and fix severe cases within fixed timescales, with emergency repairs (including those related to damp and mould) completed within 24 hours.
- 2026: The law expands to include other hazards such as excess cold and heat; structural collapse; falls; fire, electrical and explosions, and hygiene hazards.
- 2027: Full implementation, covering all hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), excluding overcrowding.
The fixed timescales for addressing hazards are as follows:
- Investigation: Social landlords must investigate hazards within 14 calendar days of being reported.
- Planning repairs: Where a hazard poses significant risk to health and/or safety, repairs must commence within 7 calendar days of the investigation.
- Completing repairs: All identified repairs must be completed within a ‘reasonable time period’ (this is dependent on the circumstances).
- Urgent repairs: All emergency repairs must be completed within 24 hours of identification.
- Temporary accommodation: If, for any reason, repairs cannot be completed within the necessary time frame, alternative accommodation must be provided by the landlord.
This introduction of fixed timescales provides clearer guidance for social landlords, replacing the vague ‘reasonable time frame’ guidance.
Upcoming Reforms
Beyond Awaab’s Law, the government has outlined additional housing reforms aimed at improving tenant safety and rights. Key upcoming changes include:
- Introducing powers through the Renters’ Rights Bill to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.
- Consulting on a new Decent Homes Standard and minimum energy efficiency standards to ensure safe, warm homes for tenants.
- Introducing legislation to require social landlords to complete electrical safety checks every 5 years at a minimum, as well as mandatory appliance inspections on any electrical appliances provided by the landlord.
In Summary
With the October 2025 deadline fast approaching, social landlords must take proactive steps to comply with Awaab’s Law. Failure to act now could result in enforcement action, putting both landlords and tenants at risk. By addressing these requirements early, social landlords can demonstrate their commitment to maintaining safe and habitable living conditions.
Equally important is securing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff responsible for inspections and repairs. Proper PPE not only ensures worker safety but also facilitates effective maintenance work, reducing the likelihood of hazardous conditions in tenants’ homes. By prioritising PPE alongside training and maintenance improvements, landlords can create safer environments for both employees and residents.
For more information on the implementation of Awaab’s Law, please visit the Gov.uk website.
To receive advice on PPE requirements for mould remediation and other emergency repairs, please get in touch with PWS.
Published March 2025
