Awaab's Law in the private rented sector: repair timescales explained
31 August 2026 · AgentCheck · 8 min read
Part of our UK Landlord Legal Guide
Awaab's Law sets fixed deadlines for landlords to investigate and fix serious hazards. It has applied to social landlords in England since 27 October 2025. It does not yet apply to private landlords: the Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows the government to extend it to the private rented sector, but that needs regulations and a consultation that has not concluded, so there is no confirmed start date as of August 2026. The social sector rules are the best guide we have to what is coming, and they are demanding. This article sets out those timescales and what private landlords can sensibly do now.
If you have read that Awaab's Law now applies to you as a private landlord, that is not right yet. It is one of the most commonly misreported parts of the Renters' Rights Act, probably because so much else in the Act did start on 1 May 2026. This one did not.
That said, "not yet" is a poor reason to do nothing. The direction is clear, the social sector version is already running, and most of what it asks for is record keeping and response speed rather than new spending.
Where the law came from
Awaab Ishak was two years old when he died in December 2020. In November 2022 an inquest concluded he died from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in the social housing his family rented in Rochdale. The coroner issued a report to government setting out matters of concern, and a campaign supported by his family led to the legislation that carries his name. That is the background, and it is worth knowing why the timescales are as tight as they are.
Where things actually stand
- Social rented sector, England. In force from 27 October 2025 for damp and mould hazards that pose a significant risk of harm, and for all emergency hazards.
- Phase 2, social sector. From 30 November 2026, regulations are due to be amended to add further hazard types.
- Phase 3, social sector. In 2027, extending to the remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards other than overcrowding, where they are significant.
- Private rented sector. The government has committed to extending Awaab's Law to the PRS and to consulting on how, including on implementation timescales. In the government's own implementation roadmap the date is recorded as to be confirmed, subject to consultation. There is no published commencement date.
We are not going to guess at a date. If you see a specific PRS start date quoted somewhere, check whether it points at an actual regulation or just at somebody's forecast.
The timescales as they work in the social sector
Two categories matter. An emergency hazard is one a reasonable landlord would not leave unaddressed for 24 hours. A significant hazard poses a significant risk of harm, defined as a risk a reasonable landlord with the relevant knowledge would treat as urgent, but where longer than 24 hours is defensible.
| Step | Emergency hazard | Significant hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Investigate | Within 24 hours of becoming aware | Within 10 working days of becoming aware |
| Make the property safe | Within 24 hours, alongside the investigation | Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding |
| Written summary of findings to the tenant | Within 3 working days of the investigation concluding | Within 3 working days of the investigation concluding |
| Preventative work so it does not recur | Begin within 5 working days of the investigation concluding | Begin within 5 working days, or if that is not possible, physically start within 12 weeks |
| If the home cannot be made safe in time | Offer suitable alternative accommodation until the works are done | Offer suitable alternative accommodation until the hazard is resolved |
Clock rules matter as much as the numbers. The day you become aware of a potential hazard is day zero. Day one is the next working day. And the written summary is not optional paperwork, it is a duty in its own right, with its own deadline.
What "becoming aware" means in practice
It is broader than a formal complaint. A contractor noticing something while doing an unrelated job, or your own maintenance staff spotting it during another inspection, can start the clock. For a private landlord this is the single biggest operational point: whoever answers your phone or your inbox needs to log the date and time, because that timestamp is the thing everything else is measured from.
What already binds you today
Awaab's Law is not the only repair duty, and the ones you already have are enforceable now.
- Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The core repairing obligation for structure, exterior and installations. Covered in our guide to landlord repair responsibilities.
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Tenants can take a landlord to court directly where a property is unfit, including for damp and mould.
- Council enforcement under the HHSRS. Local authorities can already inspect and serve improvement notices on serious hazards, without waiting for Awaab's Law.
Damp and mould is where most of this lands in practice, and our damp and mould guide goes through diagnosis and the condensation argument that landlords lose more often than they expect.
What is also on the way
Two other standards changes sit alongside this. The Renters' Rights Act brings a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time, with council enforcement powers behind it. Government consulted on a reformed standard covering both social and private rented homes in summer 2025 and is still considering responses, so again, no confirmed implementation date. A mandatory PRS landlord ombudsman is also part of the programme, with the roadmap pointing at 2028 for mandatory sign-up.
What to do now
- Timestamp every report. Date, time, who reported it, what they said. If Awaab's Law arrives and you cannot evidence when you knew, you will struggle.
- Decide who triages. Somebody has to make the emergency or significant call quickly. If that is your agent, ask them what their process is and how they log it.
- Line up contractors who can attend fast. A 24 hour response is not achievable with a tradesperson who answers next Tuesday. Ask about out-of-hours cover before you need it.
- Write to tenants after an investigation. Even now, a short written summary of what you found and what you are doing is good practice and creates the paper trail.
- Fix causes, not symptoms. A mould wash buys time. The preventative work requirement in the social sector rules exists precisely because washing it off does not count as resolved.
If you use an agent, this is a fair thing to ask them about directly. Some already run social-sector-style hazard triage because they manage for institutional clients. Others do not. It is a reasonable question when you are comparing agents.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Awaab's Law and the Renters' Rights Act 2025 are England measures. Housing standards are devolved, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each run their own repairing and fitness regimes. If you let outside England, check your national rules rather than assuming this transfers.
This is general information, not legal advice. Where a specific hazard or a specific tenancy is in question, get advice on the facts.
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