Awaab's Law for private landlords: what's coming, and when

Awaab's Law sets legal deadlines for landlords to investigate and fix hazards such as damp and mould. It's named after Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after exposure to mould in his family's social housing flat. It works as an implied term of the tenancy, so a tenant can take the landlord to court if the deadlines are missed.

Not yet. Section 60 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 extends the legal basis for Awaab's Law to private tenancies, but it isn't in force and the regulations that would set the private-sector rules haven't been made.

The government's consultation says the earliest feasible start would be 2027, and its impact assessment assumes it could be phased in between 2028 and 2030. The implementation roadmap lists the date as “to be confirmed”.

The consultation takes the social-housing rules as its starting point and asks for views on the options below. Nothing here is final. In social housing, the first phase covers emergency hazards and damp and mould; more hazards follow later.

The proposal covers all hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System except overcrowding — not just damp and mould.

Under the proposals, tenants would enforce Awaab's Law through the courts, as a breach of the tenancy — or complain to the landlord ombudsman once that exists. Councils wouldn't enforce it directly — but they already have separate powers, including a fine of up to £7,000 where a landlord could reasonably have removed a category 1 hazard and didn't — in force since 22 June 2026.

• Respond to the consultation by 18 December 2026 if you want a say.
• Treat damp, mould and other hazard reports as urgent now — the repairs covered are expected to fall within obligations you already have.
• Keep a dated record of when each repair was reported, inspected, made safe and fixed.
• If you use an agent, check your agreement says who handles repairs and how fast.