Awaab’s Law: Rules to protect social housing tenants in England from damp and unsafe homes
2 mins read
Friday 23 January 2026
Legislation known as Awaab’s Law came in to effect at the end of last year to ensure people who rent their home live in safe healthy housing.
The new law is named after toddler Awaab Ishak who died from mold exposure in his home. It only applies to the social rented sector such as council housing or homes rented from housing associations.
What does Awaab’s law mean for social housing tenants?
The key change for tenants is that landlords now have to follow strict timeframes for responding when a tenant reports an issue.
- Emergency hazards (e.g. dangerous electrical faults, damaged external doors or windows and major leaks) must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
- Significant damp and mould hazards must be investigated within 10 working days. They must be made safe within a further 5 working days.
If social landlords can’t meet those deadlines, they will be obliged to offer alternative accommodation. And if they fail, tenants can take legal action against for breach of contract. They can also make a claim via a complaints procedure.
Find out more about the new law and your rights as a tenant
The government has launched the ‘Make Things Right’ campaign and toolkit. This helps tenants find out more about what to do if they have a social housing issue, what to expect from your landlord and what the new Awaab’s Law means.
This information has been translated into a number of languages and includes a short video that explains Awaab’s Law.
