If something in your home is unsafe, you shouldn’t have to wait weeks, or months, for your landlord to do something about it.
Thanks to Awaab’s Law, you no longer have to.
Since October 2025, social landlords have been legally required to respond to serious hazards in your home within strict timeframes. And now, with Phase 2 of the law set to expand those protections even further in 2026, this is one of the most important moments in decades for council and housing association tenants across England.
Here, we break down what the new repair timelines mean for you, what’s changing with Phase 2, and what you can do if your landlord isn’t playing by the rules.
Within 24 hours of you submitting a claim, we’ll arrange a no-obligation call to understand the issues you’re facing, how things have been affecting you, and whether we can help. We’ll take the time to explain your options clearly, and if we think you have a case, we don’t stop until it’s resolved.
You shouldn’t have to live with a hazard that your landlord has the legal duty to fix. If they’re not meeting that duty, we’re ready to step in.
Within 24 hours of you submitting a claim, we’ll arrange a no-obligation call to understand the issues you’re facing, how things have been affecting you, and whether we can help. We’ll take the time to explain your options clearly, and if we think you have a case, we don’t stop until it’s resolved.
You shouldn’t have to live with a hazard that your landlord has the legal duty to fix. If they’re not meeting that duty, we’re ready to step in.
A Quick Reminder: What Is Awaab's Law?
In case you haven’t come across our first blog on this topic, here’s a brief recap.
Awaab’s Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy from Rochdale who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing flat. His parents raised the issue with their landlord repeatedly over three years. Nothing was done.
His death prompted a national campaign, led by his family, Shelter and the Manchester Evening News that resulted in landmark legislation: the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. Awaab’s Law forms part of that Act, and it does something very powerful.
It makes your landlord’s obligation to fix hazards a legal contract term in your tenancy. That means if they fail to act within the set timeframes, they are in breach of contract and you have the right to take action.
Phase 1 came into force on 27th October 2025. Phase 2 is expanding the scope of those obligations right now.
The Repair Timelines You Need to Know
This is the big one. Under Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law, your landlord now has to follow strict deadlines when it comes to hazards in your home.
Here’s how it works:
Hazard Type |
What Your Landlord Must Do |
Timescale |
Emergency hazards (e.g. dangerous electrics, major structural damage, serious leaks, damaged external doors/windows) |
Investigate and make your home safe |
Within 24 hours |
If the home cannot be made safe in time |
Provide you with alternative accommodation |
Immediately |
Significant damp and mould hazards |
Carry out a full investigation |
Within 10 working days of you reporting it |
After investigation |
Give you a written summary of findings and next steps |
Within 3 working days of investigation |
If a hazard is confirmed |
Begin remedial works to make your home safe |
Within 5 working days |
All repair work |
Must physically begin, at the very latest |
Within 12 weeks |
These aren’t targets or guidelines. These are legally enforceable deadlines. Your landlord has no excuse for missing them.
If you report an emergency and 24 hours pass without your home being made safe, your landlord is already in breach of the law.
What Does Phase 2 of Awaab's Law Mean for Tenants?
Phase 1 was deliberately focused on damp, mould and emergency hazards, the conditions most closely linked to Awaab Ishak’s death. But the government has always been clear that this is just the beginning.
Phase 2, expanding in 2026, applies those same strict timeframes to a much wider range of serious hazards, including:
- Excess cold and excess heat – if your home can’t be adequately heated or cooled to a safe temperature
- Falls – hazards on stairs, in bathrooms, and other fall risks
- Structural collapse and explosions – serious concerns about the structural safety of your home
- Fire and electrical hazards – building on the emergency protections already in place
- Hygiene hazards – conditions that create serious risks to health around food safety and domestic hygiene
In practical terms, this means that in 2026 a much wider range of problems in your home, not just damp and mould, will trigger the same legal obligations on your landlord to investigate quickly and act fast.
And Phase 3, coming in 2027, will extend Awaab’s Law to virtually all hazards identified under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) covering almost every serious health and safety risk your home could face.
Why This Matters Right Now
Living with a hazard in your home is more than just an inconvenience. It can affect your sleep, your health, your children’s wellbeing and your day-to-day life in ways that are hard to put into words.
For too long, many tenants have felt powerless, reporting issues that get ignored, chasing responses that never come, and not knowing where to turn when their landlord fails them.
Awaab’s Law changes that. It gives you real legal leverage. And with Phase 2 extending those protections, more issues in your home are now covered than ever before.
It’s also worth knowing that your landlord cannot treat you unfairly for reporting a hazard. If you raise an issue and your landlord retaliates in any way, that in itself is a breach of your rights.
What to Do If Your Landlord Isn't Meeting the Deadlines
Knowing your rights is one thing. Using them is another. If your landlord is failing to meet the timelines set out under Awaab’s Law, here’s what to do:
Report the issue in writing
A phone call is easy to deny or forget. An email creates a clear, dated record of the moment your landlord became aware of the problem and that’s exactly when the legal clock starts ticking. Use email or a written letter, and keep a copy.
Document everything
Take dated photographs of the hazard. Save all correspondence. Note down dates and times when your landlord responded (or didn’t). If the conditions are affecting your health including respiratory problems, skin conditions or worsening asthma, consider getting a note from your GP. This evidence could be crucial if you need to take things further.
Follow up if deadlines are missed
If 24 hours have passed and an emergency hazard hasn’t been addressed, or 10 working days have gone by without a damp and mould investigation, chase it in writing. Reference the Awaab’s Law timelines directly. Make it clear you know what you’re entitled to.
Make a formal complaint
Use your landlord’s official complaints process to escalate the issue. Keep records of this too. If your landlord still doesn’t respond appropriately, you can also escalate to the Housing Ombudsman Service, which can investigate independently and award compensation.
Seek legal advice
If your landlord continues to fail in their duty, you may have a strong claim for breach of contract and potentially compensation for any harm caused by their failure to act. That’s where we come in.
How Liberay Legal Can Help
At Liberay Legal, our specialist Housing Disrepair solicitors are here to support you when you need it most.
We know how exhausting it is to chase a landlord who won’t listen. We know the toll that living with damp, mould, cold, or unsafe conditions takes on you and your family. And we believe everyone deserves to live in a safe home, not just those who can afford to fight for one.
Awaab’s Law has given council and housing association tenants some of the strongest legal protections they’ve ever had. But rights that aren’t enforced don’t help anyone. If your landlord is failing to act within the legal timeframes, we can help you hold them accountable.
We can help you:
- Assess whether your landlord has breached their obligations under Awaab’s Law
- Build a clear evidence file to support your claim
- Pursue compensation for any harm caused — including impacts on your health, wellbeing and daily life
- Apply for urgent court orders where a hazard is ongoing and your safety is at risk
