Awaab's Law explained: what landlords and letting agents need to do

Awaab's Law is named after Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old who died in 2020 from prolonged exposure to mould in a social home. It forces landlords to investigate and fix serious hazards — starting with damp and mould — within fixed, legally-binding timescales, rather than letting reports drift. Here's where it stands and what it means for you.

What it actually requires

The core idea is simple: once a hazard is reported, the clock starts. Instead of “we'll get to it,” a landlord must investigate within a set window, share written findings, and begin repairs within a further window — with emergencies handled fastest of all. It turns a vague duty to keep a home fit into a dated, provable process.

Where it applies today — and where it's heading

Awaab's Law began in the social rented sector, introduced by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, with the first damp-and-mould timescales phased in from late 2025. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 provides for it to be extended to the private rented sector — but the PRS timescales come into force on a date set by later regulations, which had not commenced at the time of writing.

Why documentation is the whole game

The failure in Awaab's case wasn't only slow repairs — it was that reports weren't acted on or recorded. Under Awaab's Law, being able to show when a hazard was reported, what you found, and when you acted is as important as the repair itself. A dated, tamper-evident trail is what turns “we responded properly” from a claim into evidence.

What to do now

Treat every damp or mould report as if the clock is already running: log it with a timestamp, investigate quickly, put your findings in writing to the tenant, and keep the evidence. That habit protects tenants today and makes commencement a non-event rather than a scramble.