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What’s changing / Awaab's Law: it doesn't apply to private landlords yet

What’s changing · 27 October 2025

Awaab's Law: it doesn't apply to private landlords yet

Awaab's Law sets repair deadlines for social landlords only. The government is asking until 18 December 2026 how to extend it to private landlords.

Checked against the law 12 October 2026.

Not for private landlords

This applies to social landlords, not to private landlords, today.

For: Social landlords now; private landlords not yet

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What's changing

Awaab's Law sets deadlines for landlords to deal with dangerous problems in a home, such as serious damp and mould. It's named after Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020, aged two, after long exposure to mould in his social rented home.

As of October 2026, it applies only to social housing landlords. It does not apply to private landlords (Hazards in Social Housing Regulations 2025). You may have read that it already covers private landlords. It doesn't, yet.

What it means for social landlords

Since 27 October 2025, social landlords have had to look into any emergency hazard and make it safe within 24 hours. For serious damp and mould, they must look into the problem within 10 working days. They then have 3 working days to send the tenant a written summary, and 5 working days to make the home safe (Hazards in Social Housing Regulations 2025).

If Parliament approves the new rules, the same deadlines will cover more hazards from 30 November 2026, including cold, falls and electrical hazards.

Who it affects

Social landlords now. Not private landlords.

The change that will extend Awaab's Law to private tenancies is already written into law (Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 60). But it isn't in force yet. The rules setting out what private landlords would have to do, and by when, haven't been published, even in draft.

The government says that once it applies, the deadlines will become part of your tenancy agreements. A tenant could take you to court if you miss one, or complain to the new landlord ombudsman once it's running. Councils won't enforce the deadlines themselves, but they can still act on dangerous homes as they do now.

When

On 9 October 2026 the government opened a consultation on how to apply Awaab's Law to private rented homes. It closes on 18 December 2026.

Nothing is decided. The consultation says the earliest it could start is 2027. It asks whether to start in 2027, 2028 or 2029, and whether to wait for the new landlord ombudsman, which is expected in 2028. And it asks whether to bring it in all at once or in stages. If in stages, it could start with damp and mould and all emergency hazards, as for social housing. Its cost estimates assume a start in stages from 2028, but that's an assumption, not a decision.

It also asks whether private landlords should have the same deadlines as social landlords or different ones. For example, it asks whether looking into a problem should take 5, 10 or 15 working days. And it asks about some homes let under a licence rather than a tenancy, such as temporary accommodation for homeless households.

Your repair duties today

Awaab's Law isn't expected to add new repairs. It sets deadlines for repairs you already have to do.

You must already keep the structure and outside of the home in repair, including drains, gutters and outside pipes. You must also keep the pipes and wiring for water, gas and electricity, the toilets, basins, sinks and baths, and the heating and hot water in repair and working (Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11). The home must be fit to live in for the whole tenancy (Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 9A).

At the moment there's no fixed deadline. You must make repairs within a reasonable time once you know about the problem.

Your council must act if it finds one of the most serious hazards in a home, known as a category 1 hazard. Since 22 June 2026, when it takes that action, it can also fine you up to £7,000 if it thinks you could reasonably have had the hazard removed (Housing Act 2004, section 6A). This fine doesn't apply to hazards in the shared parts of a block of flats.

What to do

Nothing new is due. Keep dealing with repairs promptly, especially damp and mould, and keep a note of when you were told and what you did.

If a letting agent handles your repairs, the government says you would still be responsible for meeting the deadlines once they apply. It may be worth checking with your agent how quickly they deal with damp and mould.

If you'd like a say on the deadlines, you can answer the consultation by 18 December 2026. We'll update this page when the government decides.

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Sources

Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll check it. This is general information, not legal advice.