Awabs Law

In a significant step for tenant safety, Awaab’s Law will soon apply to all rental properties.

STRICT REPAIR TIMELINES - After the 2020 death of Awaab Ishak, Awaab’s Law imposed strict timelines on landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould hazards.

Landlords will have 24 hours to investigate and repair emergency hazards and 10 days for significant hazards. They will also be required to provide complete reports to the affected tenants. 

EXPANDED HAZARDS LISTS - The government wants to expand the list of hazards covered by Awaab’s Law using a phased approach over several years. 

How the hazard list will expand:

2025 Landlords must investigate and repair damp and mould issues within set time frames.

2026 The list of hazards will grow to include excess cold or heat, poor hygiene, and structural risks.

2027 Awaab’s Law will have full coverage of all Category 1 and 2 HHSRS hazards, excluding overcrowding. 

Strict timelines mean landlords and letting agents need to be proactive when it comes to hazards. 

INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY - If a landlord fails to act on a reported hazard, tenants will be able to report them to the PRS ombudsman.

The ombudsman will have the power to issue fines (£7,000 up to £40,000) and refer particularly severe cases to the courts.

TIGHTER DEADLINES - Awaab’s Law lays out clear timelines for investigations into hazards and their repairs.

Landlords must adhere to these timelines, and letting agents must be available to support them. 

CLEAR DOCUMENTATION - Landlords must provide tenants with a complete report of the hazard, from the time it was reported to the time it was fixed.

Agents can help by documenting known hazards and keeping records on when inspections were carried out. (again showing the need for additional inspections throughout the tenancy)

Again adding extra inspections to Our Managed Packages will be required.