Awaab’s Law: A compliance checklist for social housing providers

Timeline overview: When will Awaab’s Law be implemented and expanded?

Awaab’s Law came into effect from October 27, 2025, from when social housing landlords and providers now must:

• Investigate ‘emergency’ damp and mould complaints within 24 hours and ‘significant’ issues within 10 working days.
• Provide a full written report to the tenant within three working days, outlining the investigation’s findings, the planned work schedule and timeframe for work to be completed.
• Begin repairs within 24 hours if a damp or mould issue is deemed an ‘emergency’ or within five days days if it’s labelled ‘significant’

From 2026, Awaab’s Law is likely to be expanded to include further hazards from the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), such as: 

• Excess cold or heat
• Pets, refuse and other domestic hygiene hazards
• Sanitation, drainage and personal hygiene
• Tenant falls from baths, level surfaces and stairs
• Structural collapses, including explosions
• Fire and electrical hazards

From 2027, meanwhile Awaab’s Law is likely to reach full implementation, where all hazards from the HHSRS will be included, with the exception of ‘overcrowding’.

At this point, landlords may also have to have in place:

• Digital systems for logging issues and tracking remedial progress
• Monitoring tools and a tenant education process where repairs have been carried out, but the risk of mould remains

Timelines and milestones under Awaab’s Law

October 2025

Law applies to social housing providers and landlords

2026

Law is expanded to include more hazards from the HHSRS

2027

Final implementation, where all hazards from the HHSRS are included, except ‘overcrowding’

While Awaab’s Law only applies to social housing landlords and providers from October 2025, the legislation is also included as part of the Renters’ Rights Bill.

From then, Awaab’s Law will also apply to properties rented through private landlords.

Awaab’s Law compliance checklist for social landlords

1. Audit and risk identification

Goal: Understand your properties’ risk of damp and mould.

• Review reported issues from the past three years to identify high-risk properties in your portfolio.
• Conduct surveys for properties or blocks with known ventilation issues or persistent damp problems.
• List properties without modern mechanical ventilation systems, such as wall extractor fans, window vent fans, or other mechanical ventilation.
• Prioritise properties by risk level using metrics such as age, construction type, occupancy levels, and previous reports.

2. Team(s) and contractor guidance

Goal: Make sure every department and contractor understands their role in remaining compliant with Awaab’s Law.

• Host internal briefings with teams on your compliance strategy for Awaab’s Law.
• Update internal processes and documentation around government guidance and regulations.
• Communicate your expectations to contractors, including response times to reports of a mould issue, your investigation criteria and reporting standards.
• Build a compliance dashboard to track timeframes, progress and actions.

What does Awaab’s Law mean for teams and contractors?

Awaab’s Law brings with it significant change for social housing providers and landlords – and their teams or contractors.

Ensuring all stakeholders are well briefed on the law and expectations is key to remaining compliant. 

3. Upgrades and works

Goal: Invest in physical ventilation upgrades where needed.

• Allocate capital for upgrading or adding ventilation in at-risk properties.
• Install or specify:
   
  • Bathroom wall extractor fans for damp-prone sanitary areas
  • Kitchen wall extractor fans to remove cooking-related moisture and grease
  • Window extractor fans in homes where ducted systems aren’t possible
     
• Focus on low-watt EC motor models to align with energy efficiency.

4. Tenant engagement and education

Goal: Help tenants to report issues early and understand your responsibilities as a landlord.

• Launch a resident awareness campaign:
   
  • What is damp and mould?
  • What are the symptoms?
  • How is damp and mould caused?
  • How to report it quickly and effectively
     
• Translate documentation and tenant guidance into multiple languages where required
• Update welcome packs and tenancy agreements with new procedures

The importance of tenant education

While Awaab’s Law rightly places responsibility for ensuring mould and damp issues are dealt with correctly firmly at the doorstep of landlords, tenant education plays a vital role in reducing the chances of damp and mould taking hold.

Tenants should be advised on:

• How to function mechanical ventilation systems
• How to correctly report problems and what to expect as a response

5. Awaab’s Law: Process dry run

Goal: Simulate your Awaab’s Law response from start to finish

• Log a mock tenant report of ‘emergency’ mould
• Monitor response: was the inspection completed within 24 hours?
• Begin “repair works” and assess timing—were repairs started within 24 hours?
• Follow your documentation process from report to resolution

• Evaluate communication with tenants: were updates clear and timely?

  Use this exercise to identify gaps in your processes.

Awaab’s Law and the importance of proper ventilation

Many damp and mould issues can be prevented before they become a major problem.

With improved ventilation in their social homes, landlords and providers can reduce the risk of future complaints and expensive repairs, not to mention lowering the risk of health issues in their tenants.

Key products to consider include:

• Wall fan systems for communal spaces or block-wide airflow
• Bathroom extractor fans with humidity sensors
• Kitchen extractor fans for installation in walls or ceilings
• Window fan models for limited space installations

Documentation under Awaab’s Law

Landlords will be expected to prove their compliance with Awaab’s Law.

Here’s what your system should include after a tenant reports an issue with mould or damp:

• Date of first report
• Date and type of investigation
• Photographic evidence of the issue
• Inspection notes and risk classification
• Repair start and end dates
• All communications with the resident

Many housing providers are now integrating these records into their management software to prepare for possible Awaab’s Law inspection audits by the Housing Ombudsman.

Awaab’s Law: Key questions answered

Has Awaab’s Law been passed?

Yes, it forms part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, passed in response to the death of Awaab Ishak.

When was Awaab’s Law be implemented?

October 2025, following Government consultation and guidance development.

Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords?

No, the legislation currently applies only to social housing providers. However, Awaab’s Law does form part of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which will become law in the future.

What are Awaab’s Law time limits?

• 14 hours to investigate an ‘emergency’ report of damp or mould
• 24 hours to begin repairs on an ‘emergency’ case
• Completion within a reasonable timeframe, depending on severity

Awaab’s Law and the bigger picture

Complying with Awaab’s Law is essential for social housing providers, but the legislation is also aimed at:

• Creating safer homes
• Building stronger tenant/landlord relationships
• Reducing repair costs
• Improving energy efficiency
   

Landlords who invest in smart ventilation, fast response processes, and tenant education are the ones who’ll meet these goals, while also remaining compliant at all times.

Final thoughts on Awaab’s Law

For social landlords, Awaab’s Law is a huge shift in expectations when it comes to their properties, processes and responses to problems.

To explore ventilation systems that support Awaab’s Law compliance, from wall extractor fans to energy-efficient window fans, speak to the Xpelair team or browse our range of ventilation solutions.