Millions of tenants across the country will benefit from safer homes thanks to new rules coming into force on Monday the 27th of October. 

The first phase of Awaab’s Law will force social landlords to take urgent action to fix dangerous homes or face the full force of the law, improving lives for tenants and families living in all four million of England’s social rented homes. 

The new legal duties will finally put tenants’ safety first with landlords forced to fix emergency health and safety hazards within 24 hours of reporting. They must also investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified and then make properties safe in five working days. 

For both types of hazards, they must also write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection.   

As part of the reforms, landlords now must also consider the circumstances of tenants which could put them at risk, including young children and those with disabilities or health conditions. 

Alternative accommodation must also be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes. 

These vital reforms will not only keep tenants safer in their homes, but hold landlords to account. Those who fail to comply with the rules face being taken to court, where they could be issued enforcement orders, forced to pay compensation and legal costs – as well as loss of rent if homes were uninhabitable.

Awaab’s Law is a lasting legacy to two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died after being exposed to mould at his Rochdale home in December 2020. In the wake of this tragedy, Awaab’s family has fought to secure justice, not only for their son but for all those who live in social housing. 

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death. 

Awaab’s family has fought hard for change and their work to protect millions of tenants’ lives will live on as a legacy to their son. Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.” 

Sumita Singha OBE, Founding Director Ecologic Architects: “Awaab’s Law is a landmark moment for housing safety and accountability. As a built environment professional, I believe every home should uphold the dignity and wellbeing of its residents. The tragic loss of Awaab Ishak must never be repeated.

These reforms place tenant health at the heart of housing standards and send a clear message, unsafe homes are unacceptable, and action must be swift. We all have a role to play in ensuring that design, maintenance, and management of homes protect the most vulnerable.”  

More of Awaab’s Law will be phased in next year and in 2027 to make homes safer from more hazards, alongside work to build 1.5 million new homes, including the biggest boost of social and affordable housing in a generation. 

To bring further transformative and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing and give tenants a stronger voice, a new £1 million fund has been launched by the government today to create new ways of helping tenants engage with their landlords and have more influence over decisions that affect them. 

Up to £100,000 will be granted to successful bidders who propose strong ideas for improving communication between landlords and tenants and help tenants have more of a say in how their homes are managed.

Examples of innovative ideas could include online platforms, marketing campaigns or recruiting specialist personnel who can support tenants to improve their experiences in social housing. 

This will help replace the outdated, inefficient ways of communicating that leave tenants feeling unheard and waiting too long to get issues resolved by their landlord.