Awaab's Law 2026: What Every UK Landlord Must Know

Awaab's Law sets strict deadlines for landlords to address damp, mould, and hazards. Here's what you need to do to stay compliant and avoid enforcement action.

What Is Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law — named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died from prolonged mould exposure in social housing — introduces legally mandated response deadlines for hazards reported by tenants.

Awaab's Law is currently in force for social landlords only (since 27 October 2025). The Renters' Rights Act 2025 will extend it to private landlords in Phase 3 of the GOV.UK Implementation Roadmap — the exact PRS commencement date is still to be confirmed.

The Deadlines You Must Meet

Emergency hazards (immediate risk to health): - 24 hours to begin remedial action

Significant hazards (damp, mould, structural) — social-sector benchmark - 10 working days to investigate the hazard - 3 working days after investigation concluding to provide the tenant with a written summary of findings - 5 working days after investigation concluding to complete the required safety works - Per GOV.UK guidance for social landlords. The PRS framework is expected to mirror these timescales when it commences in Phase 3.

What counts as a hazard? - Damp and mould growth - Structural defects affecting safety - Faulty heating systems in cold weather - Water ingress or leaks - Pest infestations

What Happens If You Miss a Deadline?

Local authorities can issue: - Improvement notices requiring works within a set timeframe - Financial penalties of up to £30,000 per breach - Prosecution in serious cases - Rent repayment orders — tenants can reclaim up to 12 months of rent

How to Protect Yourself

1. Log every maintenance report with timestamps — LetSentry does this automatically 2. Respond within the legal timeframe — AI triage flags Awaab's Law-relevant issues instantly 3. Keep photographic evidence of the condition and repairs 4. Communicate through a logged channel — in-app messaging creates a verifiable trail

How LetSentry Helps

LetSentry's AI maintenance triage automatically: - Detects Awaab's Law hazards from tenant descriptions - Calculates your response deadline and displays a countdown timer - Flags urgency levels — emergency, high, medium, low - Estimates repair costs using UK trade rates - Suggests the right trade to contact

Your compliance is only as strong as your evidence. LetSentry ensures every step is documented.

Check your compliance score →