When does Awaab's Law cover excess cold?

Phase 2 — comes into force for social housing on 30 November 2026. From that date the same investigation and repair timeframes that already apply to damp and mould extend to excess cold, along with excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosion, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene.

What is 'excess cold' under Awaab's Law?

Excess cold is a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazard: a dwelling that is too cold for the health of its occupants, typically because of inadequate insulation, an inadequate or unaffordable heating system, or poor energy efficiency. In practice it overlaps heavily with condensation and mould — the same defects that leave a home cold also leave its surfaces below the dew point.

Does Awaab's Law Phase 2 apply to private landlords?

No. The phased rollout — Phase 1 on 27 October 2025, Phase 2 on 30 November 2026, and Phase 3 (date to be confirmed) — applies to social housing in England. The extension of Awaab's Law to the private rented sector is legislated separately under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and extension to private landlords legislated under the renters' rights act 2025 — commencement date subject to consultation, not yet confirmed.

What do social landlords need to do before 30 November 2026?

Extend the damp-and-mould process already in place to the new hazards: a way to identify excess cold and the other Phase 2 hazards when a tenant reports them or on inspection, access to the right specialists (including ventilation, heating and insulation contractors), and record-keeping that evidences investigation within 10 working days and safety works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding.

Are excess cold and condensation mould the same problem?

Frequently, yes. A home that is poorly insulated, hard to heat, and under-ventilated will show up as both an excess cold hazard and a condensation mould hazard — the fixes (insulation, heating, ventilation) are the same. Treating one and ignoring the other usually means the problem returns.

When does Awaab's Law cover excess cold?

Phase 2 — comes into force for social housing on 30 November 2026. From that date the same investigation and repair timeframes that already apply to damp and mould extend to excess cold, along with excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosion, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene.

What is 'excess cold' under Awaab's Law?

Excess cold is a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazard: a dwelling that is too cold for the health of its occupants, typically because of inadequate insulation, an inadequate or unaffordable heating system, or poor energy efficiency. In practice it overlaps heavily with condensation and mould — the same defects that leave a home cold also leave its surfaces below the dew point.

Does Awaab's Law Phase 2 apply to private landlords?

No. The phased rollout — Phase 1 on 27 October 2025, Phase 2 on 30 November 2026, and Phase 3 (date to be confirmed) — applies to social housing in England. The extension of Awaab's Law to the private rented sector is legislated separately under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and extension to private landlords legislated under the renters' rights act 2025 — commencement date subject to consultation, not yet confirmed.

What do social landlords need to do before 30 November 2026?

Extend the damp-and-mould process already in place to the new hazards: a way to identify excess cold and the other Phase 2 hazards when a tenant reports them or on inspection, access to the right specialists (including ventilation, heating and insulation contractors), and record-keeping that evidences investigation within 10 working days and safety works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding.

Are excess cold and condensation mould the same problem?

Frequently, yes. A home that is poorly insulated, hard to heat, and under-ventilated will show up as both an excess cold hazard and a condensation mould hazard — the fixes (insulation, heating, ventilation) are the same. Treating one and ignoring the other usually means the problem returns.

Awaab’s Law Phase 2: excess cold

On 30 November 2026, Awaab’s Law expands beyond damp and mould. Here is what changes, the full hazard list, and why excess cold and condensation mould are usually the same building defect.

Written by Liam Jagger, MouldPros Editorial Team

Quick answer

Phase 2 — comes into force for social housing on 30 November 2026. From that date the Awaab's Law investigation and repair timeframes extend from damp and mould to excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosion, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene. Excess cold overlaps directly with condensation mould — often the same defect.

The phased rollout (social housing)

Phase 1
In force — 27 October 2025
Since 27 October 2025, social landlords in England must investigate and make safe emergency hazards within 24 hours, and investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days, with fixed follow-on deadlines for the written summary and safety works.
Hazards: emergency hazards (those posing an imminent and significant risk of harm); significant damp and mould.
Phase 2
30 November 2026
From 30 November 2026, the same investigation and repair timeframes extend to excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosion, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene. Excess cold in particular overlaps directly with condensation and mould — they are frequently the same building defect (poor insulation, inadequate heating, inadequate ventilation) seen from two angles.
Hazards: excess cold; excess heat; falls; structural collapse; fire and explosion; electrical hazards; domestic hygiene.
Phase 3
date to be confirmed
A third phase will extend Awaab's Law to the remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards, with the exception of overcrowding. No commencement date has been confirmed.
Hazards: all remaining HHSRS hazards except overcrowding.

What Phase 2 adds on 30 November 2026

excess cold

excess heat

falls

structural collapse

fire and explosion

electrical hazards

domestic hygiene

The timeframes themselves do not change: investigate significant hazards within 10 working days (24 hours for emergencies), written summary to the tenant within 3 working days of the investigation concluding, safety works within 5 working days, further works begun within 12 weeks. Full timeframes guide →

Why excess cold and condensation mould are the same defect

A home is an excess cold hazard when it is too cold for its occupants’ health — usually because it is poorly insulated, expensive or impossible to heat adequately, or energy-inefficient. Those are exactly the conditions that produce condensation mould: cold internal surfaces that sit below the dew point, and under-heating that never lets them warm up.

So a Phase 2 excess cold assessment and a Phase 1 damp-and-mould assessment on the same property will usually point at the same works — insulation, an adequate and affordable heating system, and ventilation to remove moisture. A landlord who fixes the mould but leaves the home cold has not resolved the underlying hazard, and the mould will return.

Condensation control: causes and fixes →Condensation control for landlords →Mould removal specialists →

What social landlords need in place

A hazard-identification process that covers the Phase 2 hazards, not just damp and mould — including a way to flag excess cold on inspection and from tenant reports.
Access to the right specialists: ventilation, heating and insulation contractors as well as damp and mould remediation.
Stock data on insulation levels, heating systems and energy efficiency, so cold homes can be found before a tenant reports them.
Record-keeping that evidences the investigation and repair timeframes for every hazard type.
A plan for temporary alternative accommodation where a home cannot be made safe within the required timeframes.

What it signals for the private rented sector

The phased social-housing rollout does not apply to private landlords. The extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector is a separate measure under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and extension to private landlords legislated under the renters' rights act 2025 — commencement date subject to consultation, not yet confirmed — so no private-sector duty exists yet. But the social-housing scope is the clearest indicator of where private-sector obligations are heading: damp, mould and, increasingly, cold homes. Awaab’s Law and the private rented sector →

Awaab's Law Phase 2 and excess cold — FAQs

When does Awaab's Law cover excess cold?: Phase 2 — comes into force for social housing on 30 November 2026. From that date the same investigation and repair timeframes that already apply to damp and mould extend to excess cold, along with excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosion, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene.
What is 'excess cold' under Awaab's Law?: Excess cold is a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazard: a dwelling that is too cold for the health of its occupants, typically because of inadequate insulation, an inadequate or unaffordable heating system, or poor energy efficiency. In practice it overlaps heavily with condensation and mould — the same defects that leave a home cold also leave its surfaces below the dew point.
Does Awaab's Law Phase 2 apply to private landlords?: No. The phased rollout — Phase 1 on 27 October 2025, Phase 2 on 30 November 2026, and Phase 3 (date to be confirmed) — applies to social housing in England. The extension of Awaab's Law to the private rented sector is legislated separately under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, and extension to private landlords legislated under the renters' rights act 2025 — commencement date subject to consultation, not yet confirmed.
What do social landlords need to do before 30 November 2026?: Extend the damp-and-mould process already in place to the new hazards: a way to identify excess cold and the other Phase 2 hazards when a tenant reports them or on inspection, access to the right specialists (including ventilation, heating and insulation contractors), and record-keeping that evidences investigation within 10 working days and safety works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding.
Are excess cold and condensation mould the same problem?: Frequently, yes. A home that is poorly insulated, hard to heat, and under-ventilated will show up as both an excess cold hazard and a condensation mould hazard — the fixes (insulation, heating, ventilation) are the same. Treating one and ignoring the other usually means the problem returns.