Awaab's Law gives social landlords fixed deadlines to deal with damp, mould and other hazards. Here is what it requires and how it strengthens your claim.
Awaab Ishak was two years old when he died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould in his family's housing association flat in Rochdale. His parents had reported the mould repeatedly. The coroner's findings led directly to Awaab's Law, which was passed as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and has been coming into force in stages for social landlords in England since October 2025.
What the law requires
Awaab's Law writes repair deadlines into every social housing tenancy as an implied term. The first phase covers damp and mould and all emergency hazards. In summary, once a social landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard it must:
- investigate within a set number of working days;
- give the tenant a written summary of the findings, including whether a hazard was found and what will be done;
- start repairs of significant hazards within a fixed period and complete them within a reasonable time;
- deal with emergency hazards (those presenting an imminent risk) within 24 hours;
- offer suitable alternative accommodation if the home cannot be made safe in time.
Later phases extend the same approach to other hazards such as excess cold, electrical faults, structural collapse, fire and falls.
Why it matters for your claim
Before Awaab's Law, arguments about what counted as a "reasonable time" took up a lot of energy in disrepair cases. Now, for social tenants, there are clear deadlines. If your council or housing association missed them, that is powerful evidence of breach, and the written reports they must give you become evidence too.
The law does not replace your existing rights under Section 11 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act; it sits alongside them and makes them easier to enforce.
What to do if you are a social tenant with damp or mould
- Report it in writing and keep a copy, so there is no argument about when the landlord "became aware".
- Ask for the written summary of the investigation if you have not received one.
- Keep a note of every deadline that passes.
- Mention anyone in the household who is vulnerable.
- If the deadlines have been missed, contact us. The claim can cover both the repairs and compensation for the time you waited.
And if you rent privately?
Awaab's Law applies to social landlords, but the Renters' Rights Act extends the Decent Homes Standard and similar expectations to the private sector, and private tenants already have strong rights under the 2018 Act. Whoever your landlord is, damp and mould left unfixed is a claim.
