Awaab’s Law: what tenants and social landlords need to know

Awaab’s Law sets deadlines for social landlords in England to investigate and make safe certain serious hazards. It has applied since 27 October 2025. For damp and mould, the current rules cover hazards that present a significant risk of harm to tenants; they also cover all emergency hazards. If you rent from a council or housing association, report a concern to your landlord as soon as you notice it and explain what is happening in the home. The landlord must assess the potential hazard, rather than assume that everyday living is the cause.

Who is covered now?

The rules apply to almost all social housing let by a registered provider and occupied under a tenancy. That can include a council or housing association home, and some temporary or supported accommodation held under a social housing tenancy. Accommodation occupied under a licence and owner-occupied homes are outside this rule. If you are unsure what kind of agreement you have, check the paperwork and ask your landlord to explain it.

A hazard must concern a building or land the social landlord is responsible for, arise from a defect, disrepair or lack of maintenance, be within the landlord’s control to fix, and be significant or an emergency. The rules do not cover damage caused by a tenant’s breach of contract. That does not give a landlord licence to blame a report of mould on how someone lives. Government guidance says landlords should investigate rather than make assumptions about ‘lifestyle’. Cooking, bathing and laundry inevitably add moisture indoors; those ordinary activities are unlikely to be a breach of contract.

How quickly must the landlord act?

The clock begins when the landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard or a material change in one already reported. The day it becomes aware is day ‘zero’; day one begins the following working day. These are maximum timeframes, and the landlord should respond sooner where circumstances require it. The landlord has to decide whether the report points to a potential significant hazard or an emergency; that initial assessment is part of the process, not an extra waiting period.

• For a potential emergency hazard, the landlord must investigate within 24 hours. If it confirms an emergency, it must carry out relevant safety work as soon as reasonably practicable. Both investigation and work must happen within 24 hours of the landlord becoming aware of the hazard.
• For a potential significant hazard, the landlord must investigate within 10 working days of becoming aware of it. If it confirms a significant hazard, relevant safety work must be done within 5 working days of the investigation ending.
• The landlord must give the tenant a written summary of the investigation findings within 3 working days of the investigation ending. The guidance explains an exception where the home is made safe and the work is completed within that period.
• Where further work is needed to prevent a significant or emergency hazard returning, the landlord must begin it, or take steps to begin it, within 5 working days of the investigation ending. If it cannot take those steps then, it must do so as soon as possible, and physically start the work within 12 weeks.

Safety work and longer term prevention are different jobs. A landlord should make the home safe within the relevant deadline, then complete necessary preventative work within a reasonable time. If it cannot complete the relevant safety work in time, it must secure suitable alternative accommodation for the household at its expense. It must keep the tenant updated about progress and explain how to stay safe while work is under way.

What should you do after spotting damp or mould?

Tell your landlord clearly where the problem is and what you can see, such as a recurring patch, water coming in, a broken fan or a leak. Say if the situation has changed since you last reported it. Keep a record of your report, replies, visits and work, and make it possible for the landlord to inspect the home at an agreed time. You do not need to diagnose the cause yourself. The landlord should look at the building and the household’s circumstances when deciding how urgently to respond.

Ask what the investigation found, what safety work is planned and when it will happen. If the answer is unclear or the issue remains unresolved, use the landlord’s complaints process. The Housing Ombudsman Service is another route for social housing complaints. Shelter and Citizens Advice can help you understand your position if you need individual housing advice. Keep reporting any material change in the home rather than assuming an earlier report covers the new situation.

Yorkshire and Lancashire: using the process in an older home

The same duties apply to a social landlord responsible for a mill-town terrace, an older block or another social home in Yorkshire or Lancashire. If damp appears around a cold exposed gable, below a window or beside a leaking pipe, describe the exact place and what has changed. That gives the landlord something concrete to investigate. The cause may involve the building, ventilation or more than one issue, so an inspection matters more than a quick guess from a photograph. Where the cause remains disputed, an independent, suitably qualified surveyor can help identify what needs putting right.

What has been announced for private renting?

These social housing deadlines should not be presented as deadlines for a private landlord. The government has announced that Awaab’s Law will be extended to private rented homes, but says the details and implementation timescales will be subject to consultation. Private tenants should still report damp and mould promptly. Government guidance says landlords should establish the source, check for a property defect and carry out appropriate remedial work. Shelter and Citizens Advice provide guidance for private tenants where a problem is not resolved.

This page gives general information, not legal or medical advice. For your own situation, use the organisations listed under "Where this comes from" at the foot of the page.