Awaab's Law 2025: What Every Landlord Must Know About Hazard Repair Timescales

Awaab's Law entered the statute books as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, and its extension to the private rented sector under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 means that every private landlord in England must now comply with strict timescales for investigating and remedying hazardous conditions. The legislation takes its name from Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in a social housing property in Rochdale. Parliament's response was unambiguous: landlords must act, and they must act fast.

What Is Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law creates legally binding timescales for landlords to investigate and fix hazardous conditions reported by tenants. It moves England away from the existing 'reasonable time' standard — which courts had interpreted inconsistently — and replaces it with specific deadlines that apply regardless of contractor availability or the landlord's other commitments. The law uses the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) as its framework for categorising hazards. HHSRS divides hazards into Category 1 (serious) and Category 2 (less serious), and Awaab's Law applies different timescales to each.

The Core Timescales: What Landlords Must Do and When

The key deadlines under Awaab's Law are structured around the severity of the hazard. Once a tenant reports a potential hazard, the clock starts. Landlords must first investigate to determine whether an HHSRS hazard exists, and then — depending on the category — begin and complete repairs within the mandatory windows set out in regulations made under the Act.

HHSRS Hazard Categories Explained

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System assesses 29 potential hazards across residential properties. Each hazard is scored based on the likelihood of harm occurring and the severity of that harm. A score above a certain threshold designates the hazard as Category 1 — meaning the local authority has a duty to take enforcement action and the landlord faces mandatory repair timescales under Awaab's Law.

Common Category 1 Hazards Triggering Awaab's Law

• Damp and mould growth (including condensation-related mould in excess of minor surface mould)
• Excess cold — indoor temperatures below 16°C in habitable rooms
• Excess heat — properties with no adequate means of cooling in summer
• Falling between levels — hazardous stairs, landings, or balconies
• Fire — inadequate means of escape, missing smoke alarms, dangerous fixed heating
• Carbon monoxide — faulty gas appliances or blocked flues
• Electrical hazards — exposed wiring, overloaded consumer units, lack of RCD protection
• Structural collapse — failing roofs, floors, or load-bearing walls
• Water supply — contaminated or inadequate water supply

Record-Keeping Obligations Under Awaab's Law

The legislation does not just impose repair timescales — it also places an obligation on landlords to maintain written records of every stage of the hazard management process. In any enforcement action or tribunal hearing, the landlord will need to demonstrate precisely when a report was received, when an investigation was carried out, what the investigation found, what remedial action was taken, and when it was completed. Without contemporaneous records, you cannot evidence compliance, and the burden of proof in enforcement proceedings rests with the landlord.

What Records to Keep

• Date and method of every hazard report received from tenants (email, text, written letter — save all of it)
• Date your investigation began and the name of the surveyor or contractor who attended
• Written outcome of the investigation including HHSRS hazard category assessment
• Repair specification — what work was ordered, from whom, and by what date
• Confirmation of repair completion with dated photographs
• Any interim measures taken to reduce risk while permanent repairs were arranged
• Communication sent to the tenant confirming completion and inviting them to report any recurrence

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with Awaab's Law timescales exposes landlords to enforcement action from both local authorities and tenants. Local authorities can issue improvement notices under the Housing Act 2004 with significantly shortened compliance periods now that Awaab's Law timescales apply. Failure to comply with an improvement notice can result in a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence, with no cap on repeat penalties across a portfolio.

Tenants also gain new private rights of action under Awaab's Law. A tenant can bring a claim in the County Court for breach of the statutory repair duty without needing to first involve the local authority. Courts can award compensation, issue injunctions requiring works to be carried out, and — in cases of deliberate or repeated breach — refer the matter to the First-tier Tribunal for consideration of a Rent Repayment Order covering up to 12 months of rent.

Awaab's Law Compliance Checklist for Landlords

• Establish a single, documented channel for tenants to report hazards (e.g. a dedicated email address or property management platform)
• Implement a written protocol for logging reports with timestamps on the day they are received
• Have a network of HHSRS-aware contractors available to attend for investigations within the 14-day window
• Train any letting agents who manage your properties on the Awaab's Law timescales and record-keeping requirements
• Audit all existing properties for known damp, mould, or structural issues before a tenant report triggers the clock
• Ensure your tenancy agreements include a clear process for reporting hazards and set tenant expectations around access for investigations
• Store all hazard records securely and make them accessible to your property manager or compliance team
• Review your landlord insurance policy — some providers now offer compliance support as part of portfolio policies

Frequently Asked Questions