Awaab's Law for private renters: what the new consultation actually says

A government consultation opened on 8 October 2026 on extending Awaab's Law to private renters in England. It closes 18 December 2026. Here is what is in force now, what is only being consulted on, and what that means for your records.

On 8 October 2026 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government opened a consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private renters in England. It closes on 18 December 2026, and government says the responses will help inform how the law is implemented in the private rented sector — including the timescale for the new protections to come into force.

What Awaab's Law already does

Awaab's Law is in force in the social housing sector, where it protects over 4 million tenants and sets legal deadlines for responding to the most serious damp and mould hazards. It is being introduced in the social sector in three phases:

Phase 1 came into force on 27 October 2025, covering severe damp and mould.
Phase 2 is due on 30 November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval, extending protections to further serious hazards such as electrical hazards, excess cold and falls.
Phase 3 is planned for 2027, covering the remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards where they present a significant risk of harm, except overcrowding, which is addressed differently.

Timeline at a glance

27 October 2025: Phase 1 in force for social housing (severe damp and mould).
8 October 2026: Consultation opens on extending Awaab's Law to private renters in England.
30 November 2026: Phase 2 due for social housing, subject to parliamentary approval (further hazards such as electrical hazards, excess cold and falls).
18 December 2026: Consultation closes. This is the last day to respond, not a compliance deadline.
2027: Phase 3 planned for social housing (remaining serious hazards, except overcrowding).
Private rented sector: No start date has been set yet. The government says the consultation will help decide the timescale.

What the consultation covers

The consultation asks how Awaab's Law should be introduced for private renters, and whether other types of accommodation should be included in future — specifically temporary accommodation for homeless households, accommodation for young people leaving care, and supported housing. Government says extending it to these could more than double the households protected, from around 4 million to around 9 million. An options assessment on the impacts of bringing the law into the private rented sector has been published alongside the consultation.

What has not changed

No private-sector repair deadlines are in force today, and the announcement itself does not set one — the consultation is how the government says it will decide the timescale. The 18 December 2026 closing date is a date to respond by, not a compliance deadline.

The enforcement background has already moved. Around one in ten private rented homes has a hazard at the most serious level (category 1), which already requires a landlord to act, and the Renters'' Rights Act recently introduced penalties of up to £7,000 where serious dangers are found.

While the consultation runs

Nothing new is legally required of private landlords in England right now. What will matter later is whether you can show, with dates, what was reported, when you inspected, what you told the tenant, and when work started. Keeping damp and mould reports, inspection dates, photos and correspondence in one dated record means you are not reconstructing events from memory if statutory timescales arrive. For the deadlines already in force for social landlords, see Awaab's Law deadlines for landlords.

We will update this post when the government responds to the consultation.

This article is general information about England only and is not legal advice. Details can change — check GOV.UK for the latest position.

Sources: - GOV.UK: Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families (8 October 2026) (accessed 2026-10-09): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/clampdown-on-dangerous-homes-to-protect-more-tenants-and-families - GOV.UK: Awaab’s Law guidance for social landlords (accessed 2026-10-09): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awaabs-law-guidance-for-social-landlords - legislation.gov.uk: Awaab's Law commencement regulations (SI 2025/1042) (accessed 2026-10-09): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1042/made

Published: 2026-10-09.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-09.

General summary; not legal advice.