Private landlords in England are a step closer to legal deadlines for fixing damp, mould and other serious hazards. On 9 October 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published its consultation on extending Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies. It runs until 11.59 pm on 18 December 2026.
The law does not yet apply to private landlords, and the government says 2027 is the earliest it could start. The consultation uses the social housing rules as its starting point, so landlords already have a clear picture of what is coming.
What the government has announced
The consultation asks how Awaab’s Law should apply to private rented tenancies, and when. It also asks whether the rules should cover supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and care leaver accommodation where residents live under a licence rather than a tenancy.
The government’s case rests on the condition of private rented homes, which it describes as the poorest of any tenure.
| At a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Private renters in England | Around 11 million, in 4.7 million households |
| Private rented homes failing the Decent Homes Standard (2024) | 22% |
| Private rented homes with a Category 1 hazard (2023) | 10%, against 5% of social homes |
| Private landlords in England | At least 2.3 million |
| Landlords with a single property | 45% |
| Consultation closes | 11.59pm, 18 December 2026 |
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said: “Irrespective of tenure, all renters have the right to live in a safe and decent home and have complaints responded to in a timely manner.”
The law is named after Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 aged two from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social rented home in Rochdale. His parents had complained repeatedly.
Is Awaab’s Law already in force for private landlords?
No. Awaab’s Law has applied to social landlords in England since 27 October 2025. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 gave the government powers to extend it to private renting, but regulations setting the details have to be made first.
The consultation names 2027 as the earliest feasible start date and asks respondents to choose between 2027, 2028 and 2029. It also asks whether the rules should wait for the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, expected in 2028.
Private landlords already have obligations. They must carry out most repairs under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and keep homes fit for human habitation. Since June 2026, councils have been able to fine landlords up to £7,000 for failing to take reasonably practicable steps to keep a property free of Category 1 hazards.
There is no fixed deadline today. Repairs must happen within a “reasonable” time, judged case by case. Awaab’s Law would replace that with fixed deadlines.
What the consultation proposes
The consultation starts from the social housing rules and asks whether each one works for private landlords. For most requirements it offers a shorter, matching or longer option.
| Requirement | Social housing rule | Options for private landlords |
|---|---|---|
| Hazards covered | All HHSRS hazards except overcrowding, phased in | Same scope proposed |
| Investigate a potential significant hazard | 10 working days | 5, 10 or 15 working days |
| Written summary to the tenant | 3 working days after the investigation | 1, 3 or 5 working days, or none |
| Make a significant hazard safe | 5 working days after the investigation | 3, 5 or 10 working days |
| Start preventative works | Within 5 working days, or take steps to start; physically begin within 12 weeks | 3, 5 or 10 working days, with the same 12-week allowance |
| Investigate and make safe an emergency hazard | 24 hours | 12, 24 or 48 hours |
| Alternative accommodation if the home cannot be made safe in time | Required, at the landlord’s cost | Government has concerns about feasibility |
| Start date | Phased from 27 October 2025 | 2027, 2028 or 2029, phased or all at once |
The government wants rules built for a sector run largely by individuals, at the same level of protection as social housing.
If implementation is phased, the consultation proposes that damp and mould and all emergency hazards come first, as they did in social housing.
The clock starts when the landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard. That could be a tenant’s complaint or something spotted during maintenance. A medical professional can also refer a case.
Why private renting needs a different approach
The government’s own figures show how different the two sectors are. Around 1,400 social housing providers manage the social stock, and most have in-house repair teams or long-term contracts. In the private sector, 94% of landlords let as individuals and 82% own fewer than five properties.
The consultation accepts that private landlords rely on booking trades one job at a time. It also flags a risk that tight deadlines could push some landlords to hire unsuitable tradespeople just to stay compliant.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) supports the extension but wants these differences reflected. NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle argued that enforcement will decide whether the reforms work: “For too long bad actors across the rental sectors have been able to ignore standards and regulations already in place because the chance of being held to account is too remote to cause concern.”
Other decisions still open
- Who counts as at risk. Social landlords must consider the people living in the home, such as young children or a tenant with asthma. The consultation asks whether private landlords should do the same, and warns it could encourage discrimination against families or disabled tenants.
- Damage caused by the tenant. The proposal is to exclude hazards caused by a tenant breaching their contract. Guidance would make clear that landlords cannot dismiss damp and mould as tenant “lifestyle”.
- Leasehold flats. Around 40% of private rented homes, 1.96 million properties, are leasehold. One option would require landlords to take reasonable steps to get the freeholder to fix hazards in parts of the building they are responsible for.
- Who investigates. Options range from anyone the landlord judges competent, through a two-stage check, to a qualified HHSRS practitioner or surveyor.
Where this fits with other rule changes
Awaab’s Law sits within phase 3 of the Renters’ Rights Act roll-out, alongside the Decent Homes Standard.
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 27 October 2025 | Awaab’s Law Phase 1 begins for social housing: damp and mould, plus all emergency hazards |
| 1 May 2026 | Renters’ Rights Act phase 1, including the end of section 21 “no fault” evictions |
| 23 June 2026 | Updated HHSRS takes effect, cutting hazards from 29 to 21, alongside the new £7,000 penalty |
| 6 October 2026 | Scotland’s repair timescale regulations take effect for private and social landlords |
| 9 October 2026 | Consultation on extending Awaab’s Law to private renting opens |
| 30 November 2026 | Phase 2 for social housing adds excess cold, excess heat, falls, electrical, fire and explosion, domestic hygiene and structural collapse (subject to parliamentary approval) |
| 18 December 2026 | Consultation closes |
| 2027 | Phase 3 for social housing; earliest feasible start for private landlords |
| 2028 | Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman expected |
| 2035 | Decent Homes Standard applies to private rented homes |
With section 21 gone, tenants can complain about conditions without the same fear of eviction. Landlords may see more hazard reports, and a deadline attached to each one once Awaab’s Law arrives.
Evidence becomes the standard
Awaab’s Law will be written into every private tenancy as an implied term. If a landlord misses a deadline, the tenant can take them to court for breach of contract. The court can order repairs, compensation and legal costs. From 2028, tenants should also be able to go to the new Landlord Ombudsman.
Landlords will have a defence if they can prove they took all reasonable steps and missed a deadline for reasons beyond their control. That defence depends on records.
A repair log answers part of the question. It shows when a complaint came in. It says little about conditions inside the home before the complaint, or whether the fix worked.
Continuous environmental monitoring fills that gap. ResiSure’s Resi-IQ device records temperature, humidity and air quality every 30 minutes. The data is independent and timestamped, so it stands up when a tenant, a council, an ombudsman or a court asks what happened.
For private landlords, monitoring helps with:
- Earlier warning. Rising humidity shows up in the data before mould appears on a wall, giving time to book a trade before a problem hits a deadline.
- Evidence of the cause. Proposed guidance would stop landlords dismissing damp and mould as tenant “lifestyle” without grounds. Readings across days and weeks help show whether conditions point to ventilation, heating or a building defect.
- A record of reasonable steps. Months of readings show a property was monitored and that action followed when conditions changed.
That helps with the trades problem the consultation describes. Spotting a problem early gives a landlord time to book someone before the clock starts.
What landlords and agents can do now
The final rules may be a year or more away. These steps make sense whatever timescales are confirmed.
- Respond to the consultation. Landlords, agents and tenants can answer through the online survey before 11.59pm on 18 December 2026. Practical evidence from the private sector will shape the final deadlines.
- Check how reports are logged. Every tenant contact about damp, mould or other hazards should be recorded with a date and time, and followed up in writing.
- Test your contractor cover. Ask whether your trades could attend within 24 hours for an emergency, and agree a backup if not.
- Know your higher-risk homes. Older properties, homes with past damp complaints and properties with poor ventilation deserve attention first. For leasehold flats, check which parts of the building the freeholder is responsible for.
- Put monitoring where it counts. Continuous readings give early warning and a record that holds up if a hazard is ever disputed.
Landlords who use a managing agent stay legally responsible for meeting Awaab’s Law. The consultation notes they may need new contract terms with their agent to be confident the deadlines will be met.
Frequently asked questions
Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords now?
No. It applies to social housing in England. The government is consulting on extending it to private rented tenancies until 18 December 2026.
When will Awaab’s Law come into force for private rentals?
No date has been set. The consultation says 2027 is the earliest feasible start and asks whether it should be 2027, 2028 or 2029.
Will private landlords face the same deadlines as social landlords?
That has not been decided. The social housing timescales are the starting point, and the consultation offers shorter and longer options for each. For example, emergency hazards could carry a 12, 24 or 48-hour deadline.
Does Awaab’s Law only cover damp and mould?
No. The proposal is to cover every HHSRS hazard except overcrowding, which includes excess cold, falls, electrical and fire hazards. If the rules are phased in, damp and mould and emergency hazards would likely come first.
Will private landlords have to rehouse tenants?
Possibly. Social landlords must arrange alternative accommodation if a home cannot be made safe in time. The government has concerns about whether that works for private landlords and is asking for views.
What happens if a landlord misses a deadline?
The tenant can take the landlord to court for breach of contract. The court can order repairs and compensation. The new Landlord Ombudsman, expected from 2028, will also handle complaints. Separately, councils can already fine landlords up to £7,000 over Category 1 hazards.
Does Awaab’s Law apply in Scotland?
The consultation covers England only. Scotland has its own repair timescale regulations, which took effect on 6 October 2026 for private and social landlords.
Get ahead of Awaab’s Law
The private sector deadlines will start in 2027 at the earliest. Landlords with monitoring in place can show when conditions changed and what they did about it.
ResiSure is a recognised NRLA supplier. Resi-IQ gives landlords and agents continuous, independent data on temperature, humidity and air quality across their portfolio.
Book a Resi-IQ demo to see how monitoring fits your properties before the new rules arrive.