Awaab's Law Explained: Repair Timeframes for Social Landlords in England

Awaab's Law sets legally binding timeframes for social landlords in England to investigate and make safe dangerous hazards. It is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's housing association flat. The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 created the power, and the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 set the timeframes.

Phase 1 came into force on 27 October 2025. It covers emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards in social housing in England. Phase 2 starts on 30 November 2026.

It applies to social housing tenants in England, such as council and housing association tenants. Private tenants are not currently covered, but all tenants may still have repair rights under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, including the fitness for human habitation duty.

Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. Potential significant hazards must be investigated within 10 working days, with a written summary within 3 working days after the investigation and safety work within 5 working days after it. Supplementary preventative work must begin, or steps be taken to begin it, within 5 working days, and physical work must start within 12 weeks where it could not start sooner.

The requirements are implied into social tenancy agreements, so missing one can be a breach of your tenancy. You can use the landlord's complaints procedure, then the Housing Ombudsman, and you may be able to bring a legal claim for repairs and compensation. Compensation depends on the evidence and is not automatic.

A breach may support legal or complaint remedies, but compensation is not automatic. Any award depends on the cause of action, seriousness, duration, effect on the home, proven loss and medical evidence. Eligible cases may be offered a Conditional Fee Agreement subject to written terms and deductions.

A Category 1 hazard is an HHSRS assessment indicating a serious risk. It is not automatically an emergency hazard under Awaab's Law. The applicable response depends on the statutory definition, the circumstances and the implementation phase in force.

There is no fixed total duration. Evidence, expert inspection, works, negotiation, landlord response and court listing all affect the timeline. The Housing Conditions Pre-Action Protocol contains individual milestones but does not guarantee an overall completion date.

Key evidence includes dated photos or videos of the disrepair, copies of all repair requests to your landlord, any written investigation summary, medical records if your health has been affected, receipts for damaged belongings, and any complaint or Housing Ombudsman correspondence.

Not yet. The current regulations cover social housing only. On 9 October 2026 the Government opened a consultation, running to 18 December 2026, on extending Awaab's Law to private tenancies under section 60 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. No start date for private landlords has been set.

It generally does not cover owner-occupied accommodation held under a long lease, including most shared-ownership arrangements. Other lease, repair and building-safety duties may still apply.

No. These regulations apply in England only. Scotland has its own Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026, which the Scottish Government's guidance says apply to social and private landlords from 6 October 2026. Wales and Northern Ireland have separate housing standards, tenancy law and enforcement systems.

From 30 November 2026, Phase 2 extends the significant-hazard timeframes beyond damp and mould to excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene hazards. The timeframes themselves stay the same. The Government's guidance says the amending regulations come into force on that date; the regulations were still published in draft when this page was last reviewed, so the start is subject to Parliament approving them.

The Government plans a third phase extending the regulations to the remaining HHSRS hazards, apart from overcrowding. A date has not been confirmed.

If an in-scope emergency or significant hazard cannot be made safe within the statutory deadline, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation until the home is safe.