Awaab’s Law & the Private Rented Sector
The government published its consultation on 9 October 2026. Here is what it proposes, when it could start, and what to do before it does.
Written by Liam Jagger, MouldPros Editorial Team
What's changing for private landlords
Awaab's Law does not yet apply to private landlords. On 9 October 2026 the government opened a consultation on extending it to private rented homes in England, closing on 18 December 2026. It asks whether private landlords should meet the same deadlines as social landlords (investigate significant hazards within 10 working days, make them safe within 5, deal with emergencies within 24 hours) or shorter or longer ones, and names 2027 as the earliest feasible start. No date is confirmed.
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Get free quotesWhy Is Awaab’s Law Being Extended to Private Rentals?
Direct answer
Damp and mould are widespread across the private rented sector — particularly in older housing stock. The government concluded that the same protections available to social housing tenants should apply to all renters, regardless of who their landlord is. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 implements this extension.
According to the English Housing Survey 2024-25, around 10% of private rented homes have a damp problem — significantly higher than the rate in owner-occupied properties. Older pre-war and post-war housing stock, which makes up a disproportionate share of the private rental market, is particularly susceptible to rising damp, penetrating damp, and condensation mould.
The government’s position is straightforward: a tenant renting privately has the same right to a hazard-free home as a social housing tenant. The existing patchwork of legislation (the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018) was not producing fast enough remediation. Awaab’s Law imposes fixed timeframes and direct enforcement.
The extension also reflects the political reality that the private rented sector has grown significantly over the past two decades — now housing approximately 4.6 million households in England, including a large number of families with children.
What Timeframes Is the Government Proposing?
Direct answer
For each duty the consultation offers three options, one of which matches social housing. Nothing is decided: the final timeframes will be set in regulations after the consultation closes.
| Duty | Social housing today | Options for private landlords |
|---|---|---|
| Investigate a potential significant hazard | 10 working days | 5 working days · 10 working days · 15 working days |
| Give the tenant a written summary of the findings | 3 working days | 1 working day · 3 working days · 5 working days |
| Make a significant hazard safe | 5 working days | 3 working days · 5 working days · 10 working days |
| Start further (preventative) works | 5 working days (or take steps to start, beginning within 12 weeks) | 3 working days · 5 working days · 10 working days |
| Investigate and make safe an emergency hazard | 24 hours | 12 hours · 24 hours · 48 hours |
The government sees a strong case for starting, as in social housing, with damp and mould hazards and all emergency hazards.
It also proposes extending Awaab's Law to homes occupied under licence: supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and care leaver accommodation.
Source: Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences (GOV.UK, 9 October 2026).
When Does Awaab’s Law Come Into Force for Private Rentals?
Direct answer
No date has been confirmed. The consultation (open until 18 December 2026) asks whether it should start in 2027, 2028, 2029 or later, and says 2027 is the earliest feasible date. The government also expects private landlords to join the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman in 2028.
Important notice
Everything on this page about timeframes and start dates is a proposal under consultation, not law. Read the consultation on GOV.UK for the full detail. This page was last reviewed on 14 October 2026.
Landlords who already have good processes in place for handling damp and mould complaints will find the transition straightforward. The key change is formalising those processes — logging reports, documenting responses, and meeting the specific timeframes — rather than making large operational changes.
Landlords who currently have no formal process for handling damp and mould reports should begin building one now. The two main things to establish immediately are: a reliable process for logging tenant reports, and a relationship with at least one qualified local specialist you can call on quickly.
Within social housing, Awaab’s Law is already widening beyond damp and mould: Phase 2 adds excess cold and six other hazards from 30 November 2026. Excess cold and condensation mould are usually the same building defect, so the ventilation, heating and insulation work that fixes one fixes the other.
Renting privately and dealing with damp or mould now? The free damp and mould letter generator writes to your landlord under the repair duties that already apply, without claiming Awaab’s Law does.
This consultation is Phase 3 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 rollout. For the other phases and what is already in force, see the Renters’ Rights Act timeline.
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How Should Private Landlords Prepare Now?
Direct answer
Act before the law starts: set up a written process for logging tenant reports, find a qualified local specialist who can inspect within days rather than weeks, and deal with any properties that already have damp or mould. If the consultation settles on shorter timeframes than social housing, a specialist lined up in advance is the difference between meeting them and missing them.
Review your current properties
Identify any properties with existing damp or mould issues and arrange an inspection now. Remediating proactively — before a tenant reports — puts you in a much stronger compliance position.
Set up a report logging system
This doesn't need to be sophisticated. A shared spreadsheet or a simple email folder labelled 'Damp and Mould Reports' with a note of the date received is sufficient. What matters is that you can evidence when you received each report.
Find and vet a local specialist
Use MouldPros to find a PCA-accredited or CSRT-qualified contractor in your area. Check they can typically respond within 7–10 days and ask them about their reporting process — you need a written inspection report, not just a verbal quote.
Update your tenant welcome information
Tell new tenants explicitly how to report damp or mould (email address, phone number, or an online form) and what your process is. This reduces the chance of tenants going directly to the council before you have had a chance to respond.
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Get free quotesFind a Specialist Before You Need One Urgently
The landlords who struggle with Awaab’s Law timeframes are the ones who try to find a contractor after a report comes in. Find and vet a qualified specialist now, when you have time to be selective.
Frequently Asked Questions About Awaab's Law in the Private Rented Sector
- Does Awaab's Law apply to all private tenancies?
- Not yet. The government's consultation (open until 18 December 2026) proposes extending it to private rented tenancies in England by making compliance an implied term of the tenancy. The consultation does not propose an exemption for small landlords. The final scope will be set in regulations after the consultation.
- When could Awaab's Law start for private landlords?
- The consultation names 2027 as the earliest feasible start and asks whether it should be 2027, 2028, 2029 or later. It also asks whether to start, as in social housing, with damp and mould and emergency hazards. No date is confirmed.
- What is the difference between Awaab's Law and the Homes Act 2018?
- The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 gave tenants the right to take civil action if their home was unfit for habitation. Awaab's Law adds fixed deadlines: a landlord must investigate and fix hazards within set timeframes, and the tenancy itself would require it.
- Does it apply to letting agents?
- The proposed duties fall on landlords. The consultation does mention agents — for example, a landlord or agent making an initial assessment of a reported hazard — so agents who manage repairs for landlords will in practice run the process and need a specialist they can call on quickly.
- Does Awaab's Law apply in Scotland and Wales?
- No. Awaab's Law and the Renters' Rights Act 2025 apply to England only. Scotland and Wales have separate housing legislation. Scottish landlords are governed by the Housing (Scotland) Act and the repairing standard. Welsh landlords are regulated under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Contact your devolved housing authority for guidance.
- Can a tenant use Awaab's Law against a private landlord now?
- Not yet — it has not started for private landlords. Private tenants already have remedies under existing law (the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, enforced by councils, and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018) if a landlord fails to deal with damp and mould.