Awaab’s Law: An overview for charities

The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 are the first regulations to implement Awaab's Law and came into force for the social housing sector on 27 October 2025.

'Awaab's Law' was introduced by section 42 of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 following the tragic death of the two-year-old Awaab Ishak in December 2020 as a result of prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social housing flat in Rochdale. Whilst Awaab's Law applies only to the social housing sector at present, section 60 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 provides for Awaab's Law to be extended to the private rented sector. This article gives an overview of Awaab's Law and outlines the possible implications of this law for charities that are private landlords.

What is Awaab's Law?

Phase 1

In general terms, Awaab's Law was created to protect tenants from hazards in their homes by providing a legal duty for social landlords to investigate and address certain hazards within strict timeframes.

Social landlords are required to address potential hazards in line with Awaab's law if the following requirements are met:

1. The hazard is within a part of a building or land that the social landlord is responsible for repairing;
2. The hazard has resulted from "defects, disrepair or lack of maintenance";
3. It is within the landlord's control to fix the hazard;
4. The hazard does not constitute damage that has been caused by the tenant's breach of contract; and
5. There is a significant or emergency hazard.

From 27 October 2025, the first phase of Awaab's Law was implemented with the introduction of regulations that require social landlords to:

• Organise a competent individual to investigate potential emergency hazards within 24 hours of becoming aware of the issue and to  undertake the relevant safety work within this timeframe;

An "emergency hazard" is considered by the regulation as one that poses "imminent and significant risk of harm" (or harm that a reasonable lessor with relevant knowledge would address in 24 hours) to the occupier. The government's guidance publication for social landlords suggests that examples of "emergency hazards" are broken boilers, prevalent damp that materially impacts a tenant's health and significant leaks. Standard investigations into potential emergency hazards can be conducted remotely, but this may not be appropriate depending on the severity of the issue.

• Organise a competent individual to investigate potential significant hazards within 10 working days of becoming aware of the issue (with day one of this timeline being one day after the social landlord becomes aware of the potential hazard);

The regulation defines a "significant hazard" as a hazard that poses a significant risk of harm (or harm that a reasonable lessor with relevant knowledge would address as a matter of urgency) to an occupier's health and safety. Standard investigations into potential significant hazards can be conducted remotely. However, if the tenant requests an in-person investigation, this should be facilitated by the social landlord.

• Should a significant hazard be identified, undertake relevant safety work within 5 workings days from the end of their investigation;

• Undertake any further investigations of the potential hazard as soon as reasonably practicable.

Social landlords are still required to abide by the timelines for completing relevant safety works in respect of significant and emergency hazards if certain works have been identified by their initial investigation even if the further investigation is required.

• Complete a renewed in-person investigation at the tenant's request within 10 working days of the request if the initial investigation was conducted remotely.

• Secure alternative accommodation for the tenant and all those who usually live in the property at their own expense if the relevant safety work cannot be undertaken in the required period (5 working days from the end of the investigation for significant hazards or within 24 hours for emergency hazards).

• Provide a written summary of their findings to tenants within 3 working days from the end of their investigation;

The written summary should confirm if a significant or emergency hazard was identified and provide a description of the hazard. If action is required, the written summary should describe the action and provide a timeline for completion. Otherwise, the written summary should confirm that no action is required and specify the reason(s) for this conclusion. The written summary should provide the contact details for the social landlord. It can be sent electronically, but social landlords should take into consideration the tenant's preferential mode of communication.

• Start to undertake any supplementary preventative measures for significant and emergency hazards within 5 working days from the end of an investigation that identifies the necessity of such measures.

The timeline of 5 working days commences the day after the investigation concludes.

• Take reasonable steps to notify the tenant of the timings and progress of works until such works have been completed or the works are not required (for example if the social landlord has used all reasonable endeavours to obtain consent for the works and is not successful).

Phase 2

In 2026, the government will be extending the hazards that indicate a significant risk of harm to include those listed below:

• excess cold and excess heat
• falls associated with baths
• structural collapse
• explosions
• fire and electrical hazards
• domestic and personal hygiene and food safety

Phase 3

In 2027, the government plans to  extend the hazards further to include all those hazards listed as part of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System ("HHSRS") other than overcrowding. The HHSRS was introduced by the Housing Act 2004 and is an evaluation tool used by local authorities to assess risks and hazards in residential properties in England and Wales. More information about the HHSRS can be found in the government's guide to this system, which is accessible by clicking on this link: 80858-ODPM-Housing-PFI-Cover

What are implications of Awaab's Law for private landlords?

The government's guidance on the Renters' Rights Act 2025 confirmed that it will consult on the best way to apply Awaab's Law to the private renting sector and further guidance will be provided in due course. The introduction of regulations that implement Awaab's Law into the private renting sector will be a significant reform: private landlords will be under a legal obligation to undertake swift investigations into potential hazards within strict pre-determined timelines.

At this stage, the government has indicated that Awaab's Law will imply terms into tenancy agreements in order to ensure private landlords meet the standards required by this legislation. Further, the government has suggested that if private landlords fail to meet the required standards, tenants could challenge them through the courts or through the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Guidance for charities

Charities are often gifted land under wills with tenants in situ. Whilst Awaab's Law has not yet been extended to the private rented sector, charities still need to comply with Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which requires charities to ensure that these properties are safe, healthy and free from harm for tenants.

Charities are encouraged to develop good relationships with local contractors and surveyors who can be called upon to diagnose potential issues. It is recommended that charities form centralised databases with a list of competent contractors and review these contacts regularly. This will become useful once regulations have been introduced that require charities as landlords to respond to potential hazards within the strict timelines required by Awaab's Law, particularly in respect of emergency hazards.

It would also be prudent for charities put into place, if they have done so already, high quality record keeping which includes:

• tenant communications;
• communications with third party contractors including investigation reports and findings; and
• updates from employees visiting the property.

It is essential that a swift record is made of potential hazards that have either been communicated by the tenant, or identified by an employee or a contractor. Once further regulations relating to Awaab's Law have passed that apply to the private rented sector, charities will need to be clear on such dated as the timeline for investigating and addressing such potential hazards will start from the date charities become aware of these issues.