Last week this newsletter covered the HHSRS penalty changes that came into force on 23 June — the new on-the-spot £7,000 fines for Category 1 hazards. Several readers asked what comes next.

The answer is Awaab's Law.

Awaab's Law has been in force in social housing across England since 27 October 2025. Through the Renters' Rights Act, its provisions are being extended to the private rented sector. NRLA

This edition explains what Awaab's Law is, when it comes to private landlords, what the repair timelines look like, and — critically — what you should be doing right now even though the private sector date hasn't been confirmed yet.

The law was introduced after the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, whose exposure to damp and mould highlighted serious failings in the handling of hazardous housing conditions. NRLA

In 2020, toddler Awaab Ishak lost his life from respiratory failure caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his family's social housing flat in Rochdale. Despite repeated complaints from his family before Awaab's death, the landlord failed to address the issue. NRLA

The case became a turning point for housing standards in England. The law that carries his name exists specifically because a landlord received repeated complaints about damp and mould and did nothing.

That context matters for private landlords — because the law's entire purpose is to prevent landlords from ignoring or delaying repairs to hazardous conditions.

No firm date has been confirmed for Phase 3. The government will also consult on extending Awaab's Law to the private rented sector. wwwNRLA

This is the honest answer — and it's an important nuance. Unlike the HHSRS changes that came into force on 23 June with a confirmed date, Awaab's Law for private landlords is confirmed in direction but not yet confirmed in date.

Phase 3 of the Renters' Rights Act extends this duty to the private rented sector. This means private landlords will face legally enforceable timeframes for resolving damp, mould, and structural dampness issues, tenants will have a stronger legal route to compel remediation and to claim compensation if the landlord does not act within the required period, and local councils will gain new enforcement powers under the extended law. www

The current expectation from most compliance sources is that Awaab's Law will extend to private landlords in Phase 3 of the Renters' Rights Act — the same phase that includes the Decent Homes Standard. The government has signalled this will happen but is running a consultation before confirming the implementation timeline.

The social housing timelines give private landlords a clear picture of what's coming. Awaab's Law will come into force for the social rented sector from 27 October 2025. From this point social landlords will have to address all emergency hazards and all damp and mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm to tenants to fixed timeframes. Goodlord

The timeline works like this:

Step 1 — Hazard reported or identified
This is Day Zero. The clock starts the moment you become aware of a potential hazard — whether reported by a tenant or discovered during an inspection.

Emergency hazards:
A potential emergency hazard is identified. The landlord must investigate the issue within 24 hours. If the property cannot be made safe within 24 hours, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation until the required safety works are completed, and provide a written summary of the investigation and its findings within 3 working days of the conclusion. Goodlord

Significant hazards:
If a potential significant hazard is identified, the landlord must carry out an investigation within 10 working days. Goodlord

Commencement and completion:
Safety works for a significant hazard should begin as soon as possible, and full repairs must be completed within a reasonable time. braintree

Written summary:
A written summary of the investigation findings, the proposed repair works, and estimated timelines must be provided to the tenant. braintree

Alternative accommodation:
If safety works cannot be completed within the specified timeframes, suitable alternative accommodation must be offered to the tenant at the landlord's expense until the hazard is resolved. braintree

That last point is the one that surprises most landlords. If you can't fix a serious hazard within the required timeline — you pay for the tenant's temporary accommodation. This is already law for social landlords. Private landlords should assume it's coming.

Damp and mould (persistent moisture, lack of airflow, poor repair), electrical and fire risks, structural issues and falls, and hygiene and food safety concerns. The Independent Landlord

The government defines a significant hazard as any "risk of harm to a tenant's health or safety that a reasonable landlord would take urgent action to resolve." The Independent Landlord

Damp and mould is the primary focus — it's what the law was named after. But the scope is wider than many landlords assume. Electrical hazards, structural risks and fire risks are all within scope.

The guidance for social landlords contains a critical phrase that will apply equally to private landlords: the landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard. Goodlord

The clock doesn't only start when a tenant formally complains. If you inspect a property and observe a hazard — the clock starts. If a tenant mentions something in passing in a text message — the clock starts. If a contractor visits for an unrelated job and mentions damp — the clock starts.

Awareness is the trigger. Not formal notification.

This matters enormously for how you manage your properties and your communications with tenants.

While private landlords are not yet subject to Awaab's Law timeframes, the direction of travel is clear. NRLA

To ensure you're ready when Awaab's Law is enforced in the private sector, focus on transforming your maintenance processes from reactive to proactive and rapid. Don't wait for a complaint. Implement a rigorous, documented schedule of inspections that specifically looks for potential hazards, paying close attention to signs of damp, mould, and ventilation issues. braintree

Your action checklist:

✅ Check for damp and mould now — walk through every property. Look in bathrooms, kitchens, around windows, behind furniture and in wardrobes. Damp behind furniture is still your responsibility.

✅ Check extractor fans are working — bathroom and kitchen extraction is the most common preventable cause of condensation and mould. If a fan is broken or inadequate — fix it now before any legislation forces you to.

✅ Review all open tenant repair requests — is there anything reported but not yet actioned? Any damp or mould mentions in texts or emails? Under Awaab's Law those communications become Day Zero evidence.

✅ Document everything — photo evidence of property condition, dated inspection records, contractor invoices, tenant correspondence. Your evidence pack is your compliance defence.

✅ Have a response template ready — when a tenant reports a hazard you'll need to acknowledge it promptly in writing, confirm you're investigating and provide a timeline. Have that template ready now.

✅ Know your contractors — Awaab's Law requires fast action. A 10-working-day investigation window sounds reasonable until you realise most damp specialists have several weeks' wait for surveys. Build those relationships now.

✅ Budget for contingency — adjust your rental business model to allocate a larger contingency budget for urgent, unscheduled repairs and potential costs associated with temporary re-housing. braintree

Last week's HHSRS edition covered the new on-the-spot £7,000 fines for Category 1 hazards that came into force on 23 June. Damp and mould is one of the most commonly identified Category 1 hazards.

Here's what that means in practice right now, before Awaab's Law even reaches private landlords:

A council inspector visiting your property today can already issue a £7,000 on-the-spot fine if they find Category 1 damp and mould. Awaab's Law adds a second layer on top — legally enforced response timelines and tenant compensation rights.

The two pieces of legislation work together. HHSRS gives councils enforcement power. Awaab's Law gives tenants direct legal rights. Both point in the same direction — damp and mould is no longer a maintenance inconvenience. It's a legal liability.

Awaab's Law for private landlords doesn't have a confirmed date yet. But the direction is clear, the legislation is already written, and social housing landlords are already operating under its requirements.

In practical terms, this means private landlords will no longer be able to rely on reactive, case-by-case maintenance. Instead, they'll need to demonstrate preventative action, proving that their properties are not just habitable, but healthy. The Independent Landlord

The landlords who act now — fixing damp issues, documenting inspections, building contractor relationships — are the ones who will find the transition straightforward when the date is confirmed.

The landlords who wait for a confirmed date before acting are the ones who will be scrambling.

Track maintenance records, tenant repair requests and inspection history across your entire portfolio — everything documented and dated, exactly the evidence pack Awaab's Law will require.

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Coming up next edition — Right to Rent checks: how the rules work and what the fines are for getting it wrong.

The Landlords Brief is published regularly for UK landlords. Subscribe free at thelandlordsbrief.co.uk. This newsletter is for general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.