What is Awaab's Law and what must landlords do?
By Katie Richardson, Operations Director · Reviewed and maintained by Jigsaw Conferences' Emergency Accommodation & Housing Team
This content is independently researched using official UK Government guidance and recognised housing sector sources. It is reviewed regularly by Jigsaw Conferences' operational housing team and reflects current best practice at the time of publication. It is provided for general information only and should not be considered legal advice.
Quick answer
Awaab's Law is a legal requirement on social landlords in England to investigate and fix emergency hazards within 24 hours, and significant damp and mould within strict working-day deadlines. If a home cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must pay for suitable alternative accommodation until it is. It has been in force since 27 October 2025.
What does Awaab's Law legally require?
- Legal requirement
Emergency hazards — those posing an imminent and significant risk of harm — must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours of the landlord becoming aware.
- Legal requirement
Potential significant damp and mould hazards must be investigated within 10 working days, with a written summary of findings given to the tenant within 3 working days of the investigation concluding.
- Legal requirement
Confirmed significant hazards must be made safe within 5 working days of the investigation concluding, with supplementary preventative work begun within 5 working days or, at latest, 12 weeks.
- Legal requirement
If safety work cannot be completed within the deadlines, the landlord must secure suitable alternative accommodation for the household at the landlord's expense.
Source: Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1042)
- Legal requirement
The law was made under section 42 of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and implemented by the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025.
- Government guidance
Hazard assessments must be person-centred — based on the actual occupants and their vulnerabilities, not a notional average occupant.
Why does Awaab's Law exist?
The law is named in memory of Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social rented home in Rochdale. The coroner’s findings prompted national reform of how social landlords must respond to hazards.
Government guidance explains the legislation. This Knowledge Centre explains implementation — how housing associations, local authorities and their suppliers actually deliver compliance day to day, drawing on Jigsaw Conferences’ live decant and emergency accommodation work.
What are Awaab's Law timescales?
| Obligation | Timescale | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Investigate AND complete safety work for an emergency hazard | Within 24 hours of becoming aware | Legal requirement |
| Investigate a potential significant hazard (damp & mould in Phase 1) | Within 10 working days of becoming aware | Legal requirement |
| Give the tenant a written summary of investigation findings | Within 3 working days of the investigation concluding | Legal requirement |
| Complete relevant safety work on a confirmed significant hazard | Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding | Legal requirement |
| Begin supplementary preventative work | Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding — or as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than 12 weeks | Legal requirement |
| Secure suitable alternative accommodation if the property cannot be made safe in time | Immediately, at the landlord’s expense, until the home is safe | Legal requirement |
Which hazards are covered, and when do the phases start?
| Phase | In force | Hazards covered |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 27 October 2025 (live now) | All emergency hazards, plus significant damp and mould |
| Phase 2 | 30 November 2026 | Adds excess cold, excess heat, falls (on the level, on stairs, between levels), structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards, and domestic hygiene including food safety |
| Phase 3 | 2027 (scheduled) | All remaining HHSRS hazards, excluding overcrowding |
Who does the alternative accommodation duty cover?
- Legal requirement
The duty covers everyone who normally lives in the property as a member of the tenant’s household — including children who stay overnight at least once a week.
Source: Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1042)
- Legal requirement
The duty continues until the safety work is completed, a further investigation confirms the hazard is no longer significant, or the tenant confirms in writing that accommodation is no longer required.
Source: Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1042)
- Jigsaw delivery experience
In live decants, suitability decisions made in the first three hours — school catchments, accessibility, pets, medical needs — determine whether a placement holds for the full repair period or breaks down within a week.
Explore the Knowledge Centre
Operational resources for housing providers, procurement teams, insurers and residents — each answering the questions the legislation raises in practice.
Awaab's Law timescales
Every deadline explained — 24 hours, 10 days, 5 days, 3 days — with working-day rules.
OpenAlternative accommodation under Awaab's Law
The duty most landlords are least prepared for: who pays, what counts as suitable, when it ends.
OpenHousing association implementation playbook
Triage, capacity planning, decant workflow, KPIs and audit trail — compliance in practice.
OpenEmergency accommodation procurement guide
Routes to buy, questions to ask suppliers, assurance criteria and evaluation scorecards.
OpenAwaab's Law for tenants and residents
Your rights in plain English — timescales, written summaries, temporary accommodation, complaints.
OpenThe Awaab's Law story
Who Awaab Ishak was, and how a coroner’s findings became national legislation.
OpenAwaab's Law regulations explained
SI 2025/1042 unpacked — prescribed requirements, enforcement and the official guidance set.
OpenAwaab's Law and private landlords
The current legal position for the private rented sector, and what is coming next.
OpenEmergency accommodation benchmarks
Original operational data from our published case studies — response times, costs, satisfaction.
OpenThe evergreen resources behind this centre
Awaab’s Law is one entry point. These pillar hubs cover the disciplines that outlast any single piece of legislation.
Emergency Accommodation hub
24/7 sourcing for displaced households — hotels and serviced apartments, one invoice.
OpenHousing Decants hub
Planned and emergency decants for housing associations and local authorities.
OpenResident Suitability hub
Matching placements to school catchments, accessibility, pets and vulnerability.
OpenProcurement Centre
Frameworks, governance, audit and value-for-money guidance for accommodation buyers.
OpenPublic Sector Accommodation hub
NHS, local authority and central-government accommodation programmes.
OpenExplainable Housing AI
How AI-assisted placement decisions stay transparent and auditable.
OpenDownloads
Awaab's Law timescales — quick-reference PDF
One page. Every deadline, both hazard types, all three phases. Free — no email needed.
Free PDF — no email neededResident rights under Awaab’s Law — plain-English summary PDF
What tenants are entitled to, step by step, with the official complaint route. Free.
Free PDF — no email neededEmergency Accommodation Procurement Toolkit (Awaab’s Law edition)
Supplier question bank, evaluation criteria, KPI scorecard and audit-trail checklist for procurement teams.
Questions people ask about Awaab's Law
When did Awaab's Law come into force?
Phase 1 came into force on 27 October 2025, covering all emergency hazards and significant damp and mould in the social rented sector in England. Phase 2 starts on 30 November 2026 and Phase 3 is scheduled for 2027.
Does Awaab's Law apply to private landlords?
Not yet. The current regulations apply to the social rented sector in England. The Government has signalled its intention to extend equivalent requirements to the private rented sector through the Renters’ Rights legislation, but no commencement date applied at our last verification — check GOV.UK for the current position.
Who pays for alternative accommodation?
The landlord. If a hazard cannot be remedied within the legal timescales, the regulations require the landlord to secure suitable alternative accommodation for the household at the landlord’s own expense until the home is safe.
What counts as an emergency hazard?
A hazard that poses an imminent and significant risk of harm to the health or safety of the occupants — for example a dangerous electrical fault, gas leak, or severe mould affecting a vulnerable resident. Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
What happens if a landlord misses the deadlines?
Awaab’s Law requirements are implied into social tenancy agreements, so tenants can enforce them as a breach of contract through the courts. Tenants can also complain to the landlord and escalate to the Housing Ombudsman, and the Regulator of Social Housing considers systemic failures.
Is a hotel acceptable as alternative accommodation?
The regulations require accommodation to be suitable for the household’s needs. Short stays in hotels are common for the first nights; for longer repair periods, serviced apartments or self-contained housing are usually more suitable for families — cooking facilities, space and school continuity all feed the suitability assessment.
How does Jigsaw Conferences support Awaab’s Law compliance?
Jigsaw Conferences sources emergency and temporary accommodation for housing associations, local authorities and insurers 24/7 — hotels for the first nights, serviced apartments for the repair period — with placements matched to school catchments, accessibility, pets and vulnerability, and every booking consolidated onto one auditable invoice. In a recent escape-of-water decant we placed all 14 displaced households within 24 hours of the first call.
Evidence · Real delivery
How quickly can 14 displaced households be decanted after an escape of water?
Every family placed across Greater Manchester within 24 hours — with direct billing to the insurer from the first night.
Read the case studyFacing a live decant or building compliance capacity?
Our accommodation team places displaced households 24/7 — hotels for tonight, serviced apartments for the repair period, one auditable invoice. Free to the client.
Related knowledge
Official legislation & guidance
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Published 11 August 2026 · Last updated 11 August 2026 · Legislative statements verified 11 August 2026 against GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk (sources cited inline).