Guide
Awaab's Law explained: timescales and your rights
What Awaab's Law means for social housing tenants, the fixed timescales landlords must follow, and what you can do if your landlord misses a deadline.
By the Landlord Record research team
Independent analysis of published Housing Ombudsman decisions. Last updated: 30 May 2026.
Reviewed against Housing Ombudsman published guidance.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Landlord Record is independent and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Housing Ombudsman Service. We organise and analyse decisions published under the Open Government Licence.
Awaab's Law is a legal requirement that forces social landlords to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould — and other serious hazards — within strict, fixed timeframes. It was introduced after the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in December 2020 from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social housing home in Rochdale. The law forms part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and came into force for the social rented sector on 27 October 2025.
In the Landlord Record dataset of 16,224 published Housing Ombudsman decisions, 5,641 are tagged with a damp-and-mould theme. Landlord Record analysis of Housing Ombudsman decisions (Open Government Licence v3.0).
This guide explains what the law says, who it covers, the exact timescales landlords must meet, and what you can do if your landlord breaches them.
Background: why the law was needed
Awaab Ishak's family had repeatedly reported damp and mould to their landlord, but the problem was not resolved. The coroner concluded that Awaab's death was directly related to the conditions in the property. The case exposed a systemic failure: social landlords were not always treating damp and mould with the urgency that health risks demand.
In response, the government amended the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 to insert new implied terms into social housing tenancy agreements. These terms require landlords to investigate and act on certain hazards within fixed time limits. If they fail, tenants can take them to court for breach of contract, as well as escalating through the Housing Ombudsman.
The law is named in Awaab's memory and is intended to prevent similar tragedies by holding landlords accountable for the speed of their response to hazards.
The timescales and duties under Awaab's Law
The current rules apply to emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards. The gov.uk guidance sets out the following fixed timeframes for social landlords:
| Hazard type | Investigation | Make safe | Written summary | Further works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency hazard | Within 24 hours | Within 24 hours | Within 3 working days of investigation | Begin or plan within 5 working days; all work within 12 weeks |
| Significant damp and mould | Within 10 working days of report | Within 5 working days of investigation finishing | Within 3 working days of investigation finishing | Begin or plan within 5 working days; all work within 12 weeks |
If your home cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must offer and find you suitable alternative accommodation free of charge while the works are carried out.
These timeframes are not guidance — they are implied terms in your tenancy agreement. That means a failure to meet them is a breach of contract, and you can take legal action through the courts.
Who Awaab's Law covers and how it is rolling out
Awaab's Law currently applies to social housing tenants in England — those renting from a local authority or a registered provider such as a housing association. It does not apply to shared ownership, long leaseholds, supported accommodation, homeless accommodation or licence agreements.
The law is being introduced in three phases to allow landlords time to prepare and the government to test and learn:
- Phase 1 (from 27 October 2025): Emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards.
- Phase 2 (2026): Expands to excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, electrical and explosion hazards, and hygiene hazards.
- Phase 3 (2027): Covers all remaining hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), except overcrowding.
The government has said it intends to extend similar protections to the private rented sector in the future, but no date has been confirmed and this will be subject to further consultation.
The damp and mould record behind the law
Damp and mould have been one of the most persistent themes in Housing Ombudsman decisions long before Awaab's Law was introduced. Our data shows the scale of the problem in social housing complaints that reach the Ombudsman.
In our index of 16,224 published determinations, 5,641 decisions are tagged with damp and mould. Landlord Record analysis of Housing Ombudsman decisions (Open Government Licence v3.0).
Where the Ombudsman has ordered compensation in damp-and-mould cases, the median award is £700 and the average is £1,216. The largest single award in this category is £358,282. Landlord Record analysis of Housing Ombudsman decisions (Open Government Licence v3.0).
Across all categories in our dataset, 2,499 decisions include a finding of severe maladministration — the most serious failing the Ombudsman can record. Damp and mould cases are frequently among them when landlords have ignored repeated reports or left residents in unsafe conditions for prolonged periods. Landlord Record analysis of Housing Ombudsman decisions (Open Government Licence v3.0).
These figures illustrate why Awaab's Law was needed. The Ombudsman has long found that landlords failed to investigate damp properly or delayed repairs unreasonably. Awaab's Law removes the ambiguity about what counts as a reasonable response time.
You can explore which landlords have the most adverse findings for damp and mould in our worst damp and mould rankings. You can also browse decisions in the responsive repairs category to see how the Ombudsman has framed orders in comparable cases.
What to do if your landlord breaches Awaab's Law
If your landlord misses a deadline or fails to act at all, you have several routes:
- Complain to your landlord formally. Use your landlord's complaints process and keep a dated record of every report, email and photograph. Ask for a written response and reference Awaab's Law explicitly.
- Escalate to the Housing Ombudsman. If you are not satisfied with your landlord's final response, you can take your complaint to the Ombudsman for free. The Ombudsman can order compensation, repairs, an apology, policy changes and staff training. See our guide to complaining for the steps.
- Take legal action for breach of contract. Because Awaab's Law implies terms into your tenancy agreement, a failure to meet the timescales is a breach of contract. You can seek a court order for specific performance (forcing the landlord to carry out works) and/or compensation. You should get legal advice before taking this route.
- Contact the Regulator of Social Housing. The Regulator sets standards for social landlords and can take enforcement action where landlords are systematically failing their tenants.
Evidence is critical. Keep photographs, medical notes, a timeline of every report, and copies of all correspondence. The Ombudsman and the courts are both evidence-led, and a clear, dated timeline often matters more than the legal label you attach to the problem.
If your landlord finds that your home cannot be made safe within the required timescales, they must offer you suitable alternative accommodation. If they do not, this is itself a breach and can be raised in your complaint or legal claim.
For more on what maladministration means and how the Ombudsman reaches its findings, see our guide to maladministration. If you are considering whether you may be entitled to compensation, our planned guides to landlord responsibility for damp and mould and damp and mould compensation will cover those topics in detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new law for damp and mould?
Awaab's Law is a legal requirement under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 that forces social landlords to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould within fixed timeframes. It was introduced after the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020 from prolonged exposure to mould in his social housing home. From 27 October 2025, social landlords must investigate significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days and make the property safe within 5 working days of the investigation finishing. The law is being rolled out in three phases, expanding to cover more hazards in 2026 and 2027.
How quickly do landlords have to fix damp under Awaab's Law?
For significant damp and mould hazards, social landlords must investigate within 10 working days of the report and make the home safe within 5 working days of the investigation finishing. They must also give you a written summary of findings within 3 working days of the investigation concluding. If further work is needed, the landlord must begin or make plans for the work within 5 working days, and all work must start within 12 weeks at the latest. For emergency hazards — including damp and mould that pose an immediate risk — landlords must investigate and make the home safe within 24 hours. If the home cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must offer you suitable alternative accommodation free of charge.
What is classed as severe damp?
Under Awaab's Law, a damp or mould hazard is 'significant' if it could cause serious harm to your health or safety, and a responsible landlord would see it as urgent. This goes beyond a small patch of condensation on a windowsill. Extensive mould growth affecting multiple rooms, mould in bedrooms or living areas where vulnerable people live, damp causing structural damage, or conditions linked to respiratory problems are likely to qualify. The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is used to assess the severity. If the hazard poses an immediate risk, it is treated as an emergency and must be dealt with within 24 hours.
Who does Awaab's Law apply to?
Awaab's Law currently applies to social housing landlords in England — local authorities and registered providers such as housing associations. It covers tenants in social housing tenancies. It does not apply to shared ownership, long leaseholds, supported accommodation, homeless accommodation or licence agreements in social housing. The government has stated that the requirements will eventually be extended to the private rented sector, but the date for private landlords has not yet been confirmed and is expected to follow further consultation.
When does Awaab's Law come into force?
Awaab's Law is being introduced in three phases. Phase 1 came into force on 27 October 2025, covering emergency hazards and significant damp and mould hazards. Phase 2, expected in 2026, will expand the requirements to include excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, electrical and explosion hazards, and hygiene hazards. Phase 3, expected in 2027, will extend the rules to all remaining hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), except overcrowding. The phased approach allows the government to test and learn before scaling up.
What happens if a landlord breaches Awaab's Law?
If a social landlord fails to meet the timescales, tenants can take legal action through the courts for breach of contract, because Awaab's Law implies terms into every social housing tenancy agreement. Tenants can also escalate through their landlord's formal complaints process and, if still dissatisfied, take the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can order remedies including compensation, repairs, an apology and policy changes. Regulatory enforcement by the Regulator of Social Housing is also possible. If your home cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must offer and find you suitable alternative accommodation while the works are carried out.
Sources
The timescales and duties described here are set out in the government's official guidance:
- Awaab's Law: guidance for tenants in social housing (gov.uk)
- Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords (gov.uk)
- Awaab's Law to force landlords to fix dangerous homes (gov.uk)
- Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 (legislation.gov.uk)
For the Ombudsman's approach to complaints, remedies and determinations, see the Housing Ombudsman website.
This page summarises and explains that material; it is not produced by the Ombudsman and does not constitute legal advice.