Awaab’s Law and private landlords: What you need to know
Awaab’s Law has already changed the rules for social housing landlords. Now, private renting could be next. The government is consulting on extending the law to privately rented homes in England, with proposed deadlines for tackling serious hazards like damp and mould.
Private landlords already have responsibilities to keep their properties safe and well maintained, but the proposed changes would place more focus on how quickly certain problems must be addressed. This includes how hazards are investigated, when a property must be made safe and what information landlords need to provide to their tenants.
Nothing has changed under Awaab's Law for private landlords at this stage. The consultation, launched on the 9th October 2026, is open until the 18th December 2026. However, it shows an early indication of what could be coming and what landlords should be considering, whether they manage their properties themselves or use a letting agent.
These are consultation options, not confirmed deadlines for private landlords.
There is also an important distinction between making a property safe and completing all necessary repairs. Under the social housing rules, temporary measures can be used to remove an immediate risk while further work is arranged to prevent the problem from returning. The government is considering whether private landlords should have similar flexibility.
The proposed deadlines would generally begin when a landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard in the property. This could be through a tenant's report, an issue identified during an inspection or information provided by another professional.
The government is also asking who should be permitted to investigate hazards which includes a competent landlord or agent, a two-stage assessment involving a specialist where necessary, or an appropriately qualified professional such as a surveyor.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab's Law is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in 2020 following prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social rented home in Rochdale. His family repeatedly raised concerns about the conditions, and his death highlighted the need for stronger protections for tenants living with serious housing hazards. The law came into force for social landlords in England on the 27th October 2025, introducing clear deadlines for investigating serious hazards. Under the current rules, landlords must investigate potential significant damp and mould within 10 working days of becoming aware of them and make the property safe within 5 working days of completing the investigation. Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. From the 30th November 2026, these requirements are due to expand to cover a wider range of serious risks to tenants’ health and safety, including excessive cold or heat, fire and electrical hazards and structural problems. Through the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the government has established the framework to extend Awaab's Law to private rented homes. The current consultation is looking at how those requirements should work in practice, including the timescales private landlords would be expected to meet.What changes are being proposed for private landlords?
The proposed changes would cover a range of hazards identified under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which is used to assess potential risks to occupants. The government's preferred approach is to cover all HHSRS hazards except overcrowding, including serious damp and mould, excess cold and heat, fire risks, dangerous electrical installations, unsafe stairs and structural problems. Importantly, Awaab's Law is intended to address hazards that present a significant risk to someone's health or safety, rather than every routine maintenance issue. One of the biggest questions is how quickly private landlords should be expected to investigate and resolve these hazards.Awaab’s Law investigation and repair deadlines
The government is using the existing social housing requirements as a starting point, while considering whether different timescales would be more appropriate for private landlords.|
Key Timescales
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When will Awaab's Law come into force for private landlords?
The government is considering introducing Awaab's Law for private landlords in 2027, 2028 or 2029, although no start date has been confirmed. Rather than introducing all the requirements at once, the changes could be phased in, starting with significant damp and mould hazards and emergency hazards before expanding to other serious risks. The consultation also asks whether the rollout should be aligned with the introduction of the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, currently expected from 2028.What other changes are being considered?
Alongside the proposed deadlines, the consultation raises several questions about how Awaab's Law would work in practice.Hazards caused by tenants:
The government is considering excluding hazards caused by a tenant breaching their tenancy agreement. However, guidance would make clear that landlords shouldn't automatically attribute damp and mould to a tenant's lifestyle without properly investigating the cause.Leasehold apartments:
Around 40% of privately rented homes in England are leasehold properties. Where a hazard originates from a part of the building controlled by a freeholder, the government is considering whether leaseholder landlords should be required to take reasonable steps to get the issue resolved. This is relevant for landlords with properties in Birmingham city centre and the Jewellery Quarter, where responsibility for repairs may be shared between the individual landlord and the building's freeholder or management company.Alternative accommodation:
Under existing social housing rules, landlords must arrange suitable temporary accommodation if a property can’t be made safe within the required timeframe. The government is considering whether this should apply to private landlords, while recognising the potential costs and practical difficulties, particularly for those with smaller portfolios.Does using a letting agent change a landlord's responsibilities?
Landlords would remain legally responsible for meeting Awaab's Law requirements, even when a managing agent handles maintenance and repairs on their behalf. This makes having clear arrangements for reporting problems, authorising repairs and responding to urgent issues particularly important. The government recognises that private landlords often rely on contractors, which can make tighter deadlines more challenging. It also suggests that some management agreements may need reviewing to ensure repairs can be arranged without unnecessary delays.Andy Butts, Managing Director at Miller Rose explains, "If a tenant reports mould on a Friday afternoon, the landlord needs to know who logs it and who goes out to look. A management agreement should answer that in writing before the deadline starts approaching. Most agreements we see were drafted around a reasonable timescale, and will need updating.”For landlords managing their own properties, having reliable contractors, clear communication with tenants and organised maintenance records will be equally important. The removal of Section 21 under the Renters’ Rights Act on the 1st May 2026 is also relevant here. Tenants now have greater protection from no-fault eviction when raising concerns about the condition of their homes, reinforcing the importance of responding to maintenance issues properly.
What can private landlords do now?
The final requirements are still being considered, but landlords can use this time to review how maintenance issues are currently being reported, recorded and resolved.Here are 5 practical areas worth looking at:
1. Keep clear maintenance records.
Make sure tenant reports, inspection findings, contractor communications and completed repairs are properly documented. Being able to identify when an issue was raised and what happened afterwards could be important under the proposed deadlines.2. Review your management agreement.
If you use a letting agent, check how urgent repairs are authorised, what spending limits apply and whether delays could appear when waiting for approval.3. Deal with damp and mould first.
Where properties have experienced recurring problems, check whether the underlying causes have been investigated and resolved. Check extractor fans, trickle vents and any history of condensation complaints on each property now.4. Understand your leasehold responsibilities.
For a leasehold flat, make sure you know who manages the building, how communal repairs are reported and who’s responsible for issues affecting the building’s external structure.5. Have your say in the consultation.
Landlords can respond through the government’s online survey or by email to awaabslawconsultation@communities.gov.uk before 11.59pm on the 18th December 2026."The landlords who come through this well will be the ones who already keep a proper record," says Andy. "When a tenant or a court asks what happened and when, you want to open a file and show them."
Book your free management review
With further changes to private renting being introduced, now is a useful time for landlords to review how your property is being managed and whether your existing arrangements are working as effectively as they should. At Miller Rose, we work with landlords across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, supporting them with maintenance, tenant communication and the day-to-day responsibilities of managing rental properties. Whether we already manage your property, you're working with another agent or you currently manage your portfolio yourself, our team can review how your maintenance arrangements work and identify areas worth considering ahead of the proposed changes."*" indicates required fields