Awaab's law Phase two: What the 30 November 2026 deadline means for landlords

From 30 November 2026, Phase two of Awaab’s Law comes into effect in England, significantly expanding the range of hazards that social housing landlords must investigate and address within legally enforceable timescales. 

Building on the requirements introduced under Phase one, the next stage of the legislation extends mandatory response and repair timeframes to a wider range of health and safety hazards commonly found in residential properties. 

If you manage social housing, understanding these additional requirements is essential to remaining compliant and protecting tenant safety.

What is Awaab’s Law? 

Awaab’s Law is a set of statutory requirements within the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, named after Awaab Ishak, a two year old who died in 2020 following prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing home. The legislation was introduced to make sure that serious health and safety hazards in social housing are never left unaddressed. 

Under the law, registered providers of social housing, including local authorities and housing associations, must investigate and repair reported hazards within specific, legally binding timeframes. Failure to comply can result in enforcement action, legal claims from tenants, and significant reputational consequences. 

What did Phase one cover? 

Phase one of Awaab’s Law came into effect on 27 October 2025, focusing primarily on: 

• Damp and mould hazards 

• Emergency hazards presenting an immediate risk to health or safety 

Under Phase one, social landlords became legally required to investigate serious damp and mould concerns within set timeframes and keep tenants informed of progress throughout.

What’s changing on 30 November 2026? 

Phase two extends Awaab’s Law to seven additional hazard categories under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System: 

• Excess cold and excess heat 

• Falls, including on level surfaces, stairs, and between levels 

• Fire and explosions 

• Electrical hazards 

• Domestic hygiene, pests, and refuse 

• Structural collapse and falling elements 

Landlords who built their compliance processes solely around Phase one requirements will need to review and significantly expand those processes before the deadline. 

Statutory response and repair timeframes 

Social housing landlords must adhere to strict, legally defined timeframes when responding to reported hazards: 

Where repair work cannot be completed within the initial remediation period, landlords are required to secure suitable alternative accommodation at their own expense, for the tenant and any family members who usually live in the property, including children who stay overnight at least once per week. 

If the tenant declines that offer, they may choose to stay with family or friends or remain in the property while it is made safe. In either case, where occupants remain in the property before the relevant safety work is complete, the landlord must provide clear information on any steps occupants can take to mitigate the risk of harm or confirm if no such steps are possible.

How should landlords determine whether a hazard is significant or an emergency? 

As soon as a hazard is reported, landlords must assess whether it constitutes a significant or emergency hazard. That assessment should take into account: 

• The nature of the problem (for example, mould, broken heating, or unsafe stairs) 
• Who lives in the property, including children who stay overnight even if not every night
• The personal circumstances of occupants, including age and health conditions 
• Known issues with the property, such as existing problems or recent repair work
• The likelihood of harm occurring and how serious that harm could be
  

Examples of hazards that are likely to require emergency action include: 

• Gas or carbon monoxide leaks 
• Broken boilers 
• No water supply 
• Dangerous electrical faults, such as exposed wiring 
• Major leaks 
• Broken external doors or windows that compromise security 
• Very serious damp and mould 
• Major structural problems
  

What if a tenant is unhappy with the landlord’s response? 

If a tenant has reported a hazard and is not satisfied with the outcome, they can raise a formal complaint through the landlord’s complaints process. If the landlord’s final response does not resolve the matter, the tenant can escalate their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, which offers a free, impartial investigation service. 

Tenants also have the option of pursuing matters through the courts in cases where other routes have not resolved the issue.

What does Phase three involve? 

The government has outlined plans for a further phase of Awaab’s Law in 2027. Phase three is expected to extend the legislation to cover all remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards where they present a significant risk of harm, with the sole exception of overcrowding.

Why this matters for private landlords and letting agents 

The Government’s consultation on extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector remains open until 18 December 2026, so it is not yet clear exactly how the proposed requirements may apply to private landlords. However, the consultation signals a continued focus on improving housing standards and strengthening tenant protections across the wider rental sector. 

For private landlords and letting agents, the habits that underpin Awaab’s Law compliance are the same habits that reduce risk across all tenancy management: clear hazard reporting channels, prompt action, thorough record-keeping, and robust documentation. These are also the foundations of effective deposit management and smooth dispute resolution should disagreements arise at the end of a tenancy.

“Phase two of Awaab’s Law represents a significant expansion of landlords’ responsibilities, with legally enforceable timescales applying to a much wider range of health and safety hazards. Social housing providers should be reviewing their reporting, investigation and repair processes now to make sure they can identify risks quickly, respond within the required timeframes and maintain clear records of every action taken.”

Emma Louka, Lead Adjudicator at mydeposits 

How to prepare before 30 November 2026 

Whether you manage social housing directly or want to stay ahead of the wider regulatory trend, now is the time to act. 

• Review your hazard reporting process: Tenants need a clear, accessible way to report issues, and every report should be logged with a timestamp from the moment it is received 

• Audit your current response timeframes: Assess how quickly your organisation currently investigates and resolves hazards and identify where gaps exist ahead of the expanded Phase two scope 
• Train your staff and contractors. Everyone involved in the repair process, from those taking initial reports to maintenance contractors carrying out the work, must understand the new timeframes and escalation procedures 
• Strengthen your documentation. Detailed records showing when a hazard was reported, investigated, and resolved are your primary evidence of compliance. This is equally true for deposit protection; thorough documentation protects landlords if a dispute arises 
• Monitor official guidance. Further details on Phase two are expected to be published ahead of the 30 November 2026 deadline. You can review the latest compliance guidance on the GOV.UK and stay informed about key developments by subscribing to LandlordZONE