Awaab's Law: A Complete Guide for Private Landlords

Awaab's Law sets legally enforceable deadlines for damp and mould hazards. Under the regulations in force since 27 October 2025, landlords must investigate and make safe emergency hazards within 24 hours, investigate significant hazards within 10 working days, give the tenant a written summary of findings within 3 working days of the investigation concluding, and complete relevant safety works within 5 working days. It currently applies to social housing in England and will be extended to private landlords under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — the commencement date is not yet confirmed, so private landlords should prepare now.

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1. Overview: Why Awaab’s Law Matters to Private Landlords

Awaab’s Law is the most significant tightening of landlord repair obligations in decades. It turns what were previously general duties to keep a property in repair and fit for human habitation into time-bound, enforceable obligations with serious financial and legal consequences for delay.

The law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to black mould in social housing. The inquest found that the landlord had received repeated complaints but failed to act adequately. Public and political pressure led to the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which introduced Awaab's Law for social landlords from 27 October 2025. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 provides for its extension to the private rented sector, with the start date and detailed requirements subject to a government consultation.

For private landlords, the key change is not what you must fix – damp and mould were already hazards under existing law – but how quickly you must act and how clearly you must evidence that you have complied.

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2. What Is Awaab’s Law in Legal Terms?

Awaab’s Law is a legal framework that:

• Treats damp and mould as hazards that must be investigated and remedied within fixed time limits once reported by a tenant.
• Applies now to registered social housing providers in England, and will apply to private landlords once the extension under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 is brought into force.
• Sits alongside existing legislation, including:
  • Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (section 11 repairing obligations)
  • Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
  • Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) under the Housing Act 2004

Under HHSRS, damp and mould growth is already a recognised hazard. Awaab’s Law does not change the definition of the hazard; it adds strict timescales and enforcement teeth.

The central principle is simple: once a tenant reports damp or mould, you must respond within the law’s deadlines. Delay is now a legal risk in itself.

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3. Does Awaab’s Law Apply to Private Landlords?

Not yet — but it will. Awaab's Law has applied to social housing in England since 27 October 2025. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives the government the power to extend it to the private rented sector; the commencement date and exact timeframes for private landlords are subject to consultation and have not yet been confirmed. Private landlords should treat the current social-housing timeframes as the standard they will be held to and prepare their processes now.

Even before this extension, private landlords already had to:

• Keep the structure and exterior in repair (Landlord and Tenant Act 1985)
• Ensure the property is fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy (Homes Act 2018)
• Avoid or remedy Category 1 hazards under HHSRS, including damp and mould

What Awaab’s Law adds is:

• Specific timeframes for investigation and remedial action
• Clearer grounds for Rent Repayment Orders and civil penalties where landlords fail to act promptly
• Stronger expectations on record-keeping, contractor instruction, and tenant communication

If you let out residential property, you should work on the basis that Awaab’s Law applies to you and adjust your processes accordingly.

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4. Legal Timescales Under Awaab’s Law

Awaab’s Law introduces strict deadlines once a tenant reports damp or mould.

4.1 Key Time Limits

• Investigation:
  • You must investigate a reported damp or mould hazard within 10 working days of becoming aware of it.
  • This means arranging and carrying out an inspection, not just acknowledging the complaint.
• Written summary and safety works:
  • You must give the tenant a written summary of the investigation findings within 3 working days of the investigation concluding, and where a significant hazard is confirmed, undertake the relevant safety work within 5 working days.
  • Further repair works beyond making the property safe must begin as soon as reasonably practicable, with the tenant kept informed in writing.
• Emergency repairs:
  • If the hazard is an emergency (posing an imminent and significant risk of harm), you must investigate and undertake the relevant safety work within 24 hours.
• Alternative accommodation:
  • If the property cannot be made safe within the required timeframes, you must offer the tenant suitable alternative accommodation at your expense until it is safe to return.

4.2 What Counts as “Investigation”?

A compliant investigation typically includes:

• Logging the tenant’s report with a date and time stamp
• Contacting the tenant to clarify symptoms and locations of damp or mould
• Arranging a physical inspection of the affected areas
• Where appropriate, instructing a qualified damp and mould specialist to diagnose the cause
• Producing a written record or report of findings

Simply telling a tenant to “open windows more” or “wipe the mould off” without inspection is unlikely to meet the legal standard.

4.3 Why You Need a Pre-Agreed Process

The 10-working-day investigation window is short. You cannot wait until a report comes in and then start looking for a contractor. To comply, you should:

• Have a written procedure for handling damp and mould reports
• Maintain an up-to-date list of contractors who can attend within the required timescales
• Ensure your agents and staff understand the deadlines and escalation routes

If you don’t already have a specialist, you can find a PCA-accredited mould and damp specialist near you on MouldPros and build your network before a problem arises.

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5. What Counts as Damp and Mould Under Awaab’s Law?

Awaab’s Law does not set a minimum severity threshold. Any tenant report of hazardous damp or mould must be taken seriously and handled within the legal timeframes.

5.1 Common Types of Damp and Mould

1. Condensation mould
   • Caused when moisture-laden air meets cold surfaces, leading to condensation.
   • Typical locations:
     • External walls
     • Window reveals and sills
     • Corners of rooms
     • Behind furniture, especially on external walls