Awaab's Law — What It Means for Council and Housing Association Tenants

Who Was Awaab Ishak?

Awaab Ishak was a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his family's council flat in Rochdale. His landlord, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, had been repeatedly told about the mould and failed to act.

The coroner's inquest in 2022 found that Awaab's death was caused directly by the mould in the property. His parents, Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Amin, campaigned alongside Shelter and the Manchester Evening News to ensure no family would face the same tragedy again.

Their campaign led directly to this legislation. Awaab's Law is named in his memory.

What Is Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law is the name given to the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. It came into force on 27 October 2025 and applies to all council and housing association tenants in England.

The law was introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and works by inserting a legal term directly into social housing tenancy agreements. This means it applies to your tenancy automatically — it does not need to be written into your agreement, and your landlord cannot opt out of it.

For the first time, your landlord is now legally required to investigate and fix hazards in your home within fixed timeframes. If they fail to meet those deadlines, you have the right to take legal action through the courts for breach of contract.

What Are the Legal Deadlines?

This is the most important part of the law for tenants. From 27 October 2025, your landlord must meet the following timeframes once they become aware of a potential hazard in your home.

The clock starts from the moment your landlord becomes aware of the problem — not from when you formally complain or use a specific process. This is why reporting problems in writing is so important: it creates a clear record of when your landlord was notified.

What counts as an emergency hazard?

The definition is intentionally broad. It includes anything that poses an immediate risk of serious harm — but it also takes into account who is living in the property. A hazard that might be moderate in one home could be an emergency in another if there is a baby, a young child, an elderly person, or someone with a serious health condition such as asthma. Your landlord is required to consider the vulnerability of your household when making this assessment.

What If Your Landlord Cannot Fix It in Time?

If your landlord is unable to carry out the necessary repairs within the required timeframes, the law requires them to arrange suitable alternative accommodation for you and your household at their own expense until the property is safe.

This accommodation must take into account your household's specific needs — including the size of your family, your location, any disability or medical requirements, and ensuring the alternative property itself is free from hazards.

This is a significant new protection. Previously, tenants living in unsafe conditions had no automatic right to be rehoused at their landlord's expense while repairs were carried out.

The 'Lifestyle' Excuse No Longer Works

One of the most common responses from landlords facing damp and mould complaints has been to blame the tenant — arguing that mould is caused by drying clothes indoors, not opening windows, or not heating the property sufficiently.

This is no longer an acceptable defence.

Following the Housing Ombudsman's landmark report on damp and mould in October 2021, landlords were already put on notice that lifestyle could not routinely be blamed for these problems. Awaab's Law makes this explicit: it is unacceptable for landlords to assume that hazards such as damp and mould are caused by how the tenant lives.

If the damp or mould in your home is caused by the structure of the property — poor insulation, a leaking roof, inadequate ventilation — it is your landlord's responsibility, not yours.

For a detailed explanation of the difference between structural and lifestyle damp, see our guide to the Homes Act 2018: The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 – What It Means for You

What Does Phase 1 Cover?

Awaab's Law is being introduced in stages. Phase 1, which is now in force, covers:

• Damp and mould that presents a significant risk of harm
• All emergency hazards of any type

This means the timeframes above apply immediately to any emergency situation in your home, and to all damp and mould issues that are serious enough to present a significant risk to your health or safety.

What Is Coming Next?

The law will expand significantly over the next two years.

Phase 2 — 2026: The timeframes will extend to cover a wider range of hazards including excess cold and excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and electrical hazards, and domestic hygiene and food safety hazards.

Phase 3 — 2027: The requirements will extend to all remaining hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), with the exception of overcrowding.

This means that by 2027, your landlord will be legally required to investigate and fix virtually any serious hazard in your home within fixed timeframes — not just damp, mould, and emergencies.

For a breakdown of the different types of disrepair that can be covered in a claim, see: Types of Housing Disrepair – What Your Landlord Must Fix

What If Your Landlord Has Already Ignored You?

Awaab's Law introduces new deadlines from October 2025 — but if your landlord has been ignoring problems in your home before or since that date, you may already have grounds for a claim under existing legislation.

Your landlord's duty to repair your home and keep it fit to live in did not start in October 2025. It has existed for years under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. If they have failed to meet those duties, you may be entitled to compensation and repairs regardless of whether the new Awaab's Law timeframes were technically in force at the time.

If your landlord has also failed to meet the Awaab's Law deadlines since October 2025, this strengthens your position further.

A solicitor can advise on which legal route — or combination of routes — gives you the strongest case.

The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 – What It Means for You

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 – What It Means for You

Practical Steps — What to Do Now

1. Report the problem in writing — email, text, or letter — and keep a copy. Your landlord's legal clock starts the moment they become aware of the hazard.
2. Note the date you reported it and count the working days. For damp and mould, your landlord has 10 working days to investigate. For an emergency, they have 24 hours.
3. Keep records of everything — photos, your written reports, their responses, any missed appointments. This is your evidence. See our full evidence guide: What Evidence Do You Need for a Housing Disrepair Claim?
4. If your landlord misses the deadlines, document it and seek advice. You can contact Council Repair Claims for a free assessment, escalate to the Housing Ombudsman, or seek independent legal advice.
5. Use the Housing Ombudsman if you have exhausted your landlord's complaints process. This is a free service. See our guide: Housing Ombudsman Explained

Not sure if you have a valid claim? Our Step-by-Step Claims Checklist walks you through what to check before you get in touch.

Does Awaab's Law Apply to My Tenancy?

Awaab's Law applies to you if:

• You rent from a council or housing association in England
• Your tenancy started before or after 27 October 2025 — the law applies to existing tenancies as well as new ones

It does not currently apply to:

• Private tenants (though the government has indicated Awaab's Law may be extended to the private sector in future through the Renters' Rights Act 2025)
• Shared ownership properties where you own a share of the home
• Tenancies of seven years or more

Need Help?

Council Repair Claims can help you understand whether your landlord has breached their legal duties — under Awaab's Law, the Homes Act 2018, or the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — and connect you with a regulated solicitor on a no-win, no-fee basis.

Contact us on 03330 111104 or email info@councilrepairclaims.co.uk