What Is Awaab’s Law? Everything You Need to Know on What’s About to Hit Private Landlords

Combing through the Awaab’s Law details isn’t a pleasant task. But it’s an important piece of legislation which can’t be ignored by the market, for good reason.

The law was initially triggered following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak. The two-year-old died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by “extensive[1]” mould in a flat owned by a housing association.

What Is Awaab’s Law?

As a result, Awaab’s Law was announced in 2023, with an aim to force all social landlords to fix damp and mould within strict time limits[2]. Generally, the proposed law demanded a much greater focus on assessing the suitability and safety of a home from social housing landlords, with there being costly repercussions if they failed[3].

Although, despite being in the works since 2023, Awaab’s Law hasn’t actually been implemented yet. But, a timeline has now been revealed which all landlords need to be mindful of. Private landlords need to start carefully considering; what is Awaab’s Law, how does it affect me, and when will I need to be ready?

When Is Awaab’s Law Coming Into Effect?

In February 2025, the government confirmed the timelines for the law’s implementation[4]. The changes will come through in stages.

From October 2025, social landlords will be required to address damp and mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm to tenants within fixed timescales. Following this, the requirements will expand to a wider range of hazards beyond damp and mould in 2026.

It’s not yet clear exactly what this will encompass but excess cold and heat, structural collapse issues, hygiene hazards, and more are expected to be involved.

Then, in 2027, Awaab’s Law will incorporate any remaining hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). So far, all this primarily concerns social housing providers/landlords. Although, landlords in the private rental sector need to brace themselves for when the focus is turned on them.

The Impact on Private Landlords

Pretty much since it was announced, there have been calls to extend Awaab’s Law to the private sector. The question remains though, when does Awaab’s Law come into effect for private landlords?

While a confirmed date hasn’t been released, we should see a private Awaab’s Law implementation relatively soon. Angela Rayner[5] confirmed in late 2024 that the government planned to extend this law to the private sector.

More recently, the government confirmed plans to: “introduce powers through the Renters’ Rights Bill to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector. We will consult on how to apply Awaab’s Law to privately rented homes in a way that works for the sector and is fair and proportionate for tenants and landlords[6].”

Given that social landlords will need to start adhering to this law from October 2025, perhaps the private rollout will come into play from early 2026. It all depends on how the Renters’ Rights Bill progresses. Currently, the bill is expected to come into play in the summer months[7].

Awaab’s Law Timescales

So, we know what is Awaab’s Law, but what kind of time limits will landlords be looking at when it’s fully implemented?

Well, currently, social landlords will be required to investigate hazards within 14 calendar days once the law is fully up and running[8]. They will then need to start fixing the issue(s) within a further seven calendar days, and make emergency repairs in 24 hours.

Also, following the initial investigation, landlords must provide a written summary of their findings to tenants within 48 hours of conducting the investigation. It needs to include details on when the investigation was conducted, who carried out the investigation, if any follow-up works (and what kind) will be carried out, and timeframes of when the hazard(s) will be addressed.

All told, landlords will have 21 days to investigate, inspect, send a summary, and begin the works. As Awaab’s Law hits private landlords, it’s likely they’ll face similar timescales.

How Specialist Finance Can Help With Coming Changes?

The best way of avoiding the fallout of Awaab’s Law is to stay outside of its scope. By keeping one’s properties in tip-top shape, they’re less likely to fall into disrepair. Also, a stich in time saves nine. Once mould has taken hold, it can be very hard and costly to remove[9].

Permitted & Light Development Bridging Loans can be used for a range of refurbishment and renovation projects. This can not only make a property greener, but also potentially increase its value.

Looking ahead, the BTL market is set to be swamped by many legislative changes. This will be challenging for many to overcome but with the help of the specialist lending market, there will be a way forward.