Awaab's Law came into force on 27 October 2025 under the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, enabled by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It creates legally enforceable timeframes for social landlords to investigate, communicate, and remediate damp and mould hazards. It applies to registered social housing providers in England.

What is the 10-day investigation deadline under Awaab's Law?

From the moment a social landlord becomes aware of a potential damp or mould issue — whether through a tenant report, contractor visit, inspection, or any other means — they have 10 working days to complete a formal investigation. This includes gathering evidence, assessing the hazard, and determining the appropriate response. The clock starts ticking on the next working day after awareness (Day 1).

What must written findings include under Awaab's Law?

Within 3 working days of completing the investigation, landlords must issue written findings to the tenant. This must include the hazard identified, the proposed action, and a target timeframe for completion. A verbal update alone is not sufficient. An email is accepted, but only if it is a formal written summary containing all required information — hazard identified, proposed action, and target timeframe.

What is the reasonable lessor test under Awaab's Law?

A 'significant risk of harm' is assessed by reference to what a reasonable lessor with the relevant knowledge would do. This is an objective standard: what a reasonable social landlord should have concluded on the evidence, not what the individual landlord subjectively believed.

What counts as objective evidence in damp and mould cases?

Evidence that supports compliance and features in Housing Ombudsman case outcomes includes: continuous environmental measurement (humidity, temperature, surface temperature) over a meaningful period, an outdoor baseline comparison, photographic evidence paired with sensor readings, documented consideration of resident vulnerability, and an append-only audit trail timestamped at each step.

A guide for compliance officers & housing managers

Awaab's Law explained: what does it mean for you?

Awaab's Law came into force on 27 October 2025 under the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. This page sets out the statutory timeframes, what counts as a 'significant' or 'emergency' hazard, the evidence the Housing Ombudsman expects, and the compensation patterns from the year before commencement.

Last reviewed: 21 May 2026

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What is Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law is the colloquial name for the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. It came into force on 27 October 2025, introduced by Section 42 of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which amended the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 by inserting new sections 10A and 10B.^[1]^[2]

It is named in memory of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 from prolonged exposure to mould in a social housing flat in Rochdale. The coroner ruled that Awaab's death was a direct consequence of his landlord's failure to act on repeated reports of damp and mould.^[26]

The law applies to social homes as defined in Regulation 2 of the 2025 Regulations — leases let by registered providers of social housing. It does not yet apply to the private rented sector; that extension is provided for by Section 60 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 but awaits separate commencement regulations.^[1]^[4]

Phase 1 (in force since 27 October 2025) covers damp and mould hazards and all emergency hazards. Phase 2 (during 2026) will extend the regime to additional HHSRS hazards including excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, explosions, fire and electrical hazards, and domestic and personal hygiene and food safety. Phase 3 (during 2027) will extend it to all remaining HHSRS categories except overcrowding.^[18]

Day Zero is the day the landlord becomes aware.

Day 1 — the start of the 10 working-day countdown — is the next working day after the landlord becomes aware of the complaint. Start the investigation today — sensors dispatched same day.

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