Awaab's Law is a UK legal duty on social landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and other housing hazards within strict timescales. Named after Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old who died in 2020 from prolonged mould exposure in social housing in Rochdale. Introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023; commenced for damp and mould in October 2025.

What does Awaab's Law mean for tenants?

Tenants of social landlords have a legal right to expect damp and mould investigated within 10 working days, safety work completed within 5 working days, and emergencies responded to within 24 hours. If their landlord misses these timescales, tenants can escalate to the Housing Ombudsman, the Regulator of Social Housing, or environmental health.

Who enforces Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law is primarily enforced by the Regulator of Social Housing under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. Local authorities have enforcement powers through environmental health, and the Housing Ombudsman investigates complaints.

Awaab's Law explained: timescales, summary & what it means

Q: What are the Awaab's Law timescales?

Per government guidance, social landlords must investigate a reported hazard within 10 working days, complete any required safety work within 5 working days of the investigation, and respond to emergencies within 24 hours.

Awaab's Law explained: timescales, summary and what it means for tenants, landlords and social housingAwaab's Law is a UK legal duty on social landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and other housing hazards within strict timescales. It is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 from prolonged mould exposure in social housing in Rochdale. It was introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and the duties for damp and mould commenced in October 2025.Awaab's Law summarySocial landlords must investigate damp and mould within 10 working days, complete any required safety work within 5 working days of the investigation, and respond to emergencies within 24 hours.Awaab's Law timescales

Investigate a reported damp & mould hazard: 10 working days

Complete safety work identified by the investigation: 5 working days from investigation

Respond to an emergency posing immediate risk to health: 24 hours

Provide tenants with a written summary of investigation findings: 3 working days of investigation completing

Does Awaab's Law apply to private landlords?Awaab's Law currently applies only to social landlords (housing associations, councils, ALMOs). Private landlords remain subject to the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.Who was Awaab Ishak?Awaab Ishak was a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social housing flat in Rochdale. The coroner ruled mould exposure a direct cause of his death — the first time damp and mould had been formally recorded as a cause of a UK death.See UKAME's Awaab's Law & HHSRS training →