Awaab's Law: Your Rights on Damp, Mould and Hazardous Conditions

Checked against official sources on 1 September 2026. Figures shown are Phase 1 as in force since 27 October 2025, and Phase 2 as it will apply from 30 November 2026.

Sources: GOV.UK, Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords, timeframes for repairs; GOV.UK, Awaab's Law Phase 2: guidance for social landlords; legislation.gov.uk, Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, section 42.

Awaab's Law requires landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould within strict legal timeframes. It was introduced after the tragic death of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, who died from health effects caused by severe mould in a social housing flat in Rochdale. It has applied to social housing landlords in England since 27 October 2025, covering emergency hazards and significant damp and mould, and widens to more hazard types from 30 November 2026. It does not yet apply to private landlords.

Key points

✓It applies to social landlords in England and has done since 27 October 2025. It does not yet apply to private landlords.
✓Emergency hazards: the landlord must investigate and make the property safe within 24 hours.
✓Significant damp and mould: investigate within 10 working days, give you a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation ending, and make it safe within 5 working days of that.
✓If it cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must provide suitable alternative accommodation at their own expense. That is an obligation, not a goodwill gesture.
✓It widens to more hazard types from 30 November 2026, including excess cold, excess heat, falls and structural collapse.

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What is Awaab's Law?

Awaab Ishak was a 2-year-old boy who died in December 2020. A coroner found that his death was caused by a respiratory condition triggered by prolonged exposure to severe mould in the flat where he lived in Rochdale, which was managed by a social housing provider. The case triggered national outrage and led to significant changes in the law.

Awaab's Law is the name given to provisions in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, specifically section 42. The detailed duties were brought in by the Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, which came into force for social housing landlords in England on 27 October 2025. They require landlords to:

Yes: Investigate a reported emergency or significant damp and mould hazard within strict statutory timeframes
Yes: Give the tenant a written summary of what the investigation found
Yes: Make the property safe within a set deadline, or provide alternative accommodation at the landlord's expense
Yes: Keep records of all reports and actions taken

The duties are being phased in, and Phase 1 does not cover everything. From 27 October 2025 Awaab's Law covers emergency hazards and significant damp and mould only. Phase 2, from 30 November 2026, adds excess cold and excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, electrical hazards and hygiene hazards. Phase 3, expected in 2027, extends it to the remaining hazards apart from overcrowding. If your problem is not damp, mould or an emergency, the Awaab's Law timescales may not apply to it yet, but your landlord's ordinary repairing obligations still do.

Hazards are assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). A hazard is "significant" if it poses a significant risk of harm to the health or safety of the people living there. In practice, damp and mould are the most commonly reported issue.

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Awaab's Law, timeframes for social housing landlords

The Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 set exact deadlines for social housing landlords in England. The clock starts when the landlord becomes aware of the hazard, which includes you reporting it. The deadlines are different for emergencies and for damp and mould, and they are counted in working days, not calendar days.

Emergency hazards (significant and imminent risk of harm):

Yes: The landlord must investigate AND carry out the work needed to make the property safe within 24 hours
Yes: If the property cannot be made safe within that 24 hours, the landlord must provide suitable alternative accommodation, at their expense, until it is
Yes: If an investigation is carried out, a written summary of the findings must follow within 3 working days of it concluding

Significant damp and mould:

Yes: The landlord must investigate within 10 working days
Yes: A written summary of the findings must be given to you within 3 working days of the investigation concluding
Yes: The property must be made safe within 5 working days of the investigation concluding
Yes: If it cannot be made safe in those 5 working days, the landlord must provide suitable alternative accommodation at their expense
Yes: Any further preventative work to stop the hazard coming back must begin within 5 working days, or if that is not possible, physically start within 12 weeks
Yes: That further work must then be completed within a reasonable period

The 24 hour rule is about making the property safe, not just looking at it. For an emergency, an inspection alone within 24 hours is not compliance. For damp and mould, the investigation deadline is 10 working days, so do not expect a 24 hour response unless there is an imminent risk. If your landlord misses any of these deadlines they are in breach. Keep copies of every report and reply with dates, you will need that evidence for the Housing Ombudsman.

Awaab's Law extended to private landlords

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives the government powers to extend Awaab's Law to the private rented sector in England. The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025.

Yes: The Renters' Rights Act 2025 contains provisions to apply Awaab's Law standards to private landlords
Yes: The exact commencement date is still to be set by government regulations and remains subject to consultation
Yes: It sits in the later phase of the Act's rollout, after the private rented sector database, which starts rolling out by region from late 2026
Yes: The separate Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector is not due to apply until 2035
Yes: Even before commencement, private landlords already have duties under the Housing Act 2004, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 to keep properties free from serious hazards

If you rent privately, do not wait for Awaab's Law. There is no confirmed date for it in the private sector, and no statutory 24 hour or 10 working day deadline applies to your landlord yet. The routes that work for you today are your local council's Environmental Health team and a housing disrepair claim under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Both are set out below.

See our full guide to the Renters' Rights Act 2025 for a complete overview of what changed.

What to do if you have damp or mould, private tenant

If you rent privately and your home has damp or mould, take the following steps to protect your rights and get the problem fixed:

Report the problem in writing

Send a written report to your landlord or letting agent, email is fine. Describe the damp or mould clearly, say where it is in the property, and ask for a written response. Keep a copy of your message and any reply. Take dated photographs.

Give a reasonable time to respond

Your landlord must respond and carry out repairs within a reasonable time. What is reasonable depends on the severity, a severe mould hazard affecting health should be treated urgently. For non-emergency issues, 14 to 28 days is a reasonable initial response time.

Contact your local council's Environmental Health team

If your landlord does not act, contact the Environmental Health team at your local council. They can inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and issue an improvement notice or prohibition notice against the landlord. This is free and you are protected from retaliatory eviction once council are involved.

Consider a housing disrepair claim

If damp and mould has caused you loss, such as damage to belongings or health problems, you may be able to bring a housing disrepair claim against your landlord. Many solicitors take these cases on a no-win no-fee basis. You must have reported the problem and given the landlord an opportunity to fix it first.

Use the Renters' Ombudsman (coming)

The Renters' Ombudsman created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 will allow private tenants to complain about landlords who fail to address repair issues, including damp and mould. The scheme is free to use. Check the current status of the scheme at gov.uk.

Do not withhold rent as a way of forcing repairs, this could lead to rent arrears proceedings against you. Instead, use the formal routes above: written report, council Environmental Health, and if necessary a disrepair claim.

What to do if you have damp or mould, social housing tenant

If you live in social housing (a council or housing association property) and your landlord has not fixed damp or mould within the legal timeframes, follow these steps:

Make a formal complaint to your landlord

Follow your landlord's formal complaints process. Most social housing providers have a two-stage complaints process. Submit your complaint in writing, include the date you first reported the issue, and reference the Awaab's Law timeframes. Ask for a written response within 10 working days.

Escalate within the landlord's complaints process

If the first response is unsatisfactory, escalate to stage 2 of the complaints process. You should receive a final response within 20 working days.

Complain to the Housing Ombudsman

If you have been through the landlord's complaints process and remain dissatisfied, you can complain to the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS). The HOS is free, independent, and can investigate your complaint. It can require your landlord to pay compensation, carry out repairs, and change procedures. Visit housing-ombudsman.org.uk to submit a complaint.

Contact your local council's Environmental Health

You can also contact Environmental Health at your local council. Even if your landlord is the council itself, Environmental Health can inspect and issue enforcement notices, though in practice the Housing Ombudsman is usually the more effective route for social housing.

What counts as damp and mould under the law?

The law covers a range of moisture-related issues. Understanding the legal categories helps you describe the problem accurately when reporting it to your landlord or council.

Yes: Visible black mould on walls, ceilings, window frames, or other surfaces
Yes: Condensation damp, where moisture in the air condenses on cold surfaces, encouraging mould growth
Yes: Penetrating damp, where water enters through the walls, roof, or windows due to structural defects
Yes: Rising damp, where groundwater rises through the walls or floor from below
Yes: Under the HHSRS, damp and mould growth that poses a risk to health is a Category 1 hazard, the most serious category
Yes: Category 1 HHSRS hazards give local councils a duty (not just a power) to take enforcement action

A landlord cannot lawfully blame you for condensation damp if the property is poorly insulated or ventilated. The Housing Ombudsman has made clear that landlords must address underlying structural causes, telling tenants to "open windows more" is not an acceptable response to mould caused by inadequate insulation.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Awaab's Law and who does it apply to?

Awaab's Law is a set of legal requirements on landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and other hazardous conditions within strict timeframes. It is named after Awaab Ishak, a 2-year-old who died in 2020 from health effects caused by severe mould in a social housing flat. It comes from section 42 of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, and the duties took effect for social housing landlords in England on 27 October 2025 under the Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. Phase 1 covers emergency hazards and significant damp and mould. Phase 2, from 30 November 2026, adds excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, electrical and hygiene hazards. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows it to be extended to private landlords, but no commencement date has been set for that yet.

How long does a social housing landlord have to fix damp and mould?

For significant damp and mould, your social housing landlord must investigate within 10 working days, give you a written summary of the findings within 3 working days of that investigation ending, and make the property safe within 5 working days of it ending. If they cannot make it safe in time they must provide suitable alternative accommodation at their own expense. Any further work to stop the hazard returning must begin within 5 working days, or physically start within 12 weeks if that is not possible. For emergency hazards, the landlord must investigate and make the property safe within 24 hours, and rehouse you at their expense if they cannot. All these deadlines are counted in working days.

Does Awaab's Law apply to private renters?

Not yet. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives the government powers to extend Awaab's Law to private landlords in England, but no commencement date has been set and it remains subject to consultation. It comes after the private rented sector database, which begins rolling out by region from late 2026. In the meantime private tenants already have rights under the Housing Act 2004 (HHSRS), the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which require landlords to keep properties free from serious hazards including damp and mould. Private tenants can use council Environmental Health and housing disrepair claims now.

Can I be evicted for reporting damp or mould?

No. You are legally protected from retaliatory eviction if you report disrepair to your landlord or contact the council. The old protection, in the Deregulation Act 2015, worked by invalidating a Section 21 notice served within 6 months of the council taking action after a disrepair complaint. Section 21 was abolished in England on 1 May 2026, so there is no longer a no-fault route at all: your landlord cannot end your tenancy without proving a Section 8 ground in court, and Grounds 1 and 1A cannot be used in the first 12 months of a tenancy.

What can the Housing Ombudsman do about damp and mould?

The Housing Ombudsman Service (for social housing tenants) can investigate complaints about landlords who have failed to deal with damp and mould. If it finds in your favour, it can require your landlord to carry out repairs, pay you compensation, apologise, and change their procedures. The service is free. You can complain once you have exhausted your landlord's internal complaints process. Visit housing-ombudsman.org.uk to submit a complaint.

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Know Your Rights UK. "Awaab's Law: Your Rights on Damp, Mould and Hazardous Conditions." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/housing/awaabs-law