Awaab's Law for Private Landlords: How to Prepare (Phase 3, date TBC)

Awaab's Law will be extended to private landlords in Phase 3 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 Implementation Roadmap. No commencement date has yet been confirmed by the government — but the social-sector framework gives a clear template to prepare against.

<h2What Is Awaab's Law?</h2 <p<strongAwaab's Law</strong is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's housing association flat in Rochdale. His death prompted the government to introduce mandatory timeframes for landlords to investigate and fix hazards — starting with social housing and now extending to the private rented sector.</p

<h2When Does It Apply to Private Landlords?</h2 <pAwaab's Law was initially introduced for <strongsocial housing landlords</strong under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. The <strongRenters' Rights Act 2025</strong will extend these requirements to <strongprivate landlords in England in Phase 3 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 Implementation Roadmap</strong. The exact commencement date is <strongstill to be confirmed</strong by the government following further consultation.</p <pThe exact regulations and prescribed timeframes for private landlords are expected to be confirmed through secondary legislation in the coming months, but the framework will mirror the social housing requirements.</p

<h2What Hazards Are Covered?</h2 <pWhile the initial focus is on <strongdamp and mould</strong, Awaab's Law covers hazards assessed under the <strongHousing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)</strong. The government has indicated the scope may include:</p <ul <li<strongDamp and mould growth</strong — the primary focus</li <li<strongExcess cold</strong — inadequate heating or insulation</li <li<strongExcess heat</strong — properties that overheat dangerously</li <li<strongWater supply deficiencies</strong</li <li<strongDrainage and sanitation issues</strong</li </ul <pFurther hazards may be added over time through regulations.</p

<h2Expected Timeframes</h2 <pBased on the social housing framework, private landlords should expect similar mandatory timeframes:</p <ul <li<strongWithin 10 working days (social-sector benchmark)</strong of a written complaint — investigate the hazard and provide a written response to the tenant</li <li<strongWithin 5 working days of investigation concluding</strong — complete safety works (social-sector benchmark per <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awaabs-law-guidance-for-social-landlords/awaabs-law-guidance-for-social-landlords-timeframes-for-repairs-in-the-social-rented-sector" target="blank" rel="noopener"GOV.UK guidance</a)</li <li<strongWithin 24 hours</strong — take emergency action if the hazard poses an imminent risk to health (e.g., severe mould in a child's bedroom, no heating in winter)</li <li<strongRepairs completed promptly</strong — all works must be finished within a reasonable timeframe, with the expectation that straightforward issues are resolved within weeks, not months</li </ul <p<emFinal timeframes for private landlords will be confirmed in secondary legislation. These are based on the social housing requirements and government guidance to date.</em</p

<h2What Counts as a Valid Complaint?</h2 <pThe clock starts when a tenant reports a hazard <strongin writing</strong — this includes email, text message, a letter, or a report through a property management system. Verbal complaints alone may not trigger the formal timeframes, but best practice is to treat any report seriously and log it immediately.</p

<h2Penalties for Non-Compliance</h2 <pLandlords who fail to meet the prescribed timeframes face:</p <ul <li<strongEnforcement action</strong from the local authority, including improvement notices and emergency remedial action</li <li<strongCivil penalties</strong of up to £30,000 per offence</li <li<strongProsecution</strong in serious cases, with unlimited fines</li <li<strongRent Repayment Orders</strong — tenants can apply to reclaim up to 12 months' rent</li <li<strongWeakened possession claims</strong — courts will consider your response to hazard reports when deciding Section 8 possession orders</li <li<strongOmbudsman complaints</strong — the new PRS Ombudsman (also launching under the Renters' Rights Act) will handle tenant complaints about hazard response times</li </ul

<h27 Steps to Prepare Now</h2

<h31. Inspect Every Property for Damp and Mould</h3 <pDon't wait for tenant complaints. Conduct a thorough inspection of every property, focusing on:</p <ul <liBathrooms, kitchens, and utility areas</li <liBehind furniture and in corners — especially north-facing walls</li <liWindow frames, sills, and reveals</li <liLoft spaces and under-floor areas</li <liAround plumbing penetrations</li </ul <pPhotograph and document findings. If you identify issues, fix them <embefore</em the Phase 3 commencement date (still to be confirmed) rather than waiting for a complaint under the new rules.</p

<h32. Address Root Causes, Not Just Symptoms</h3 <pPainting over mould or providing a dehumidifier is not a long-term fix. Common root causes include:</p <ul <li<strongInadequate ventilation</strong — install or upgrade extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, consider trickle vents on windows</li <li<strongCold bridging</strong — insulate cold walls, particularly in older properties</li <li<strongPenetrating damp</strong — repair pointing, flashing, guttering, and downpipes</li <li<strongRising damp</strong — investigate and repair the damp-proof course</li <li<strongCondensation</strong — improve heating and ventilation; ensure the property can be adequately heated</li </ul

<h33. Set Up a Complaints Logging System</h3 <pYou need a system that timestamps when a complaint is received, tracks your investigation, and records when works are completed. This is your evidence of compliance. A spreadsheet is better than nothing, but a dedicated tool like LetSentry provides a complete audit trail with dates, notes, and document storage.</p

<h34. Build a Reliable Contractor Network</h3 <pThe expected timeframes (5 working days from investigation concluding for safety works in the social sector) mean

Sources: - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/awaabs-law-consultation-on-timescales-for-repairs-in-the-social-rented-sector - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3764 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/32/contents

Published: 2026-03-16.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-30.

General summary; not legal advice.