Awaab’s Law - What it means for you
Everyone deserves a safe, secure, and healthy home.
Awaab’s Law is a new legal requirement for social housing landlords to ensure urgent repairs - including damp and mould - are dealt with quickly and effectively.
Background
Awaab’s Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who tragically died in 2020 due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home. The law has been introduced to make sure this never happens again and to ensure landlords act quickly when serious hazards are reported.
What Does Awaab’s Law Cover?
From 27 October 2025, all social landlords must meet strict timeframes for responding to:
Emergency Hazards
These are problems that pose an immediate and serious risk to your health or safety, such as:
- Dangerous electrical faults
- Major leaks
- Broken external doors or windows
- Structural collapse
- Gas leaks.
Response time:
Landlords must investigate and make the issue safe within 24 hours of being notified.
Significant Hazards
These are conditions including damp and mould, that pose a serious risk to health, especially for vulnerable tenants.
Response time:
- Investigate within 10 working days
- Complete safety works within 5 working days after investigation
- If the hazard cannot be fixed within these timeframes, your landlord must offer you suitable alternative accommodation with no extra cost to you.
Tenant Vulnerabilities
Landlords must consider anyone in your household who may be more affected by poor housing conditions, including:
- Children
- Older adults
- People with disabilities or long-term health conditions
- Pregnant tenants
- When reporting an issue, please tell us how it is affecting your household.
How to Report a Problem
You can report repairs or hazards in the following ways:
- Online: Fill the housing service repairs request form
- By phone: 0800 915 1215
- In person: Visit your local housing office
Please provide:
- A clear description of the issue
- Photos, if you can
- Details of who lives in your home and any vulnerabilities.
What You Can Expect
Once you report a hazard:
- Your landlord will assess whether it falls under Awaab’s Law
- You will receive a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation
- Any required repairs or rehousing will follow the legal timeframes.