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Awaab's Law gives social landlords in England fixed deadlines to investigate and fix damp, mould and other serious hazards. HomeForensicsAI was built around the same idea: spot problems early, report them clearly and keep a dated record of every step until they're fixed.
In December 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from a respiratory condition caused by long exposure to mould in his family's home in Rochdale. His family had reported the damp and mould, but it wasn't dealt with.
After the inquest in 2022, his family campaigned for a change in the law so that no other family would go through the same. The law that followed carries his name.
Once a social landlord knows about a possible hazard, the clock starts. Working days are counted from the day after the landlord becomes aware, except emergencies, where the 24 hours start straight away.
| What the landlord must do | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Investigate an emergency hazard and make it safe | Within 24 hours |
| Investigate a possible significant hazard, such as damp and mould | Within 10 working days |
| Give the tenant a written summary of the investigation | Within 3 working days of the investigation |
| Complete the work needed to make a significant hazard safe | Within 5 working days of the investigation |
| Start any further work needed to stop it coming back | Within 5 working days, or within 12 weeks if it can't start sooner |
| Keep records | Clear records of reports, investigations, contact with the tenant and photos of the hazard |
If a tenant has to move out while work is done, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation. Landlords have a defence if they can show they used all reasonable endeavours to comply, which is why good records matter.
Awaab's Law is part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It is being introduced in stages.
27 October 2025
Social landlords must follow the timeframes for damp and mould and for any emergency hazard.
30 November 2026
The same timeframes extend to hazards such as excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and electrical hazards.
Later
The government plans to cover the remaining hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, except overcrowding.
Private renting
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows the rules to be extended to private landlords. The timing depends on a government consultation.
Housing law is devolved, so each nation sets its own rules. Awaab's Law itself applies in England; Wales and Scotland now have their own deadlines. This is the position as of October 2026.
Social housing, since 27 October 2025. Significant damp and mould must be investigated within 10 working days, with a written summary to the tenant within 3 working days and the home made safe within 5 working days. Emergencies must be dealt with within 24 hours. More hazards join on 30 November 2026, and the rules can be extended to private renting under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
Social housing, since 1 April 2026. Hazards from disrepair, including damp and mould, must be investigated within 10 working days and fixed within 5 more. If there is a risk of imminent harm, landlords have 24 hours to investigate and 24 hours to make it safe. Where a fix takes longer, tenants must get a written plan within 5 working days, and landlords report their performance to the Welsh Government every quarter.
Social and private renting, since 6 October 2026. Landlords must start investigating within 10 working days, give the tenant a written summary within 3 working days and start repairs within 5 working days. Social landlords must also complete qualifying repairs within 20 days and may owe compensation if they miss a deadline. Private tenants can take disputes to the First-tier Tribunal.
There is no statutory deadline like Awaab's Law. Social landlords follow Department for Communities guidance on damp and mould, and the Department is consulting on a revised Decent Homes Standard that is intended to include some of Awaab's Law's protections.
Summary for general information, not legal advice. Sources: GOV.UK (England), Inside Housing (Wales), Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Scotland), The Irish News (Northern Ireland).
Timeframes only work when everyone can see what was reported, when, and what happened next. That's what HomeForensicsAI records.
Photograph the problem and run an AI Scan. You get a dated report showing visible signs of damp, mould and other problems, with a reference your landlord can verify. Send it with your repair request so there's no doubt about when you reported it.
Keep repair reports, photos and updates together in RentProof, from the first report to the fix. Dated records help you show what you knew, when you acted and what you did.
Track the same problem across scans with Defect DNA™ and see it on the Home Timeline: when it appeared, whether it got better or worse, and when it was fixed.
HomeForensicsAI doesn't investigate hazards, carry out repairs or decide whether a landlord has met the law, and it isn't legal advice. AI Scan highlights visible signs in photos; it can't see hidden damp or measure health risk. The landlord is always responsible for investigating and fixing hazards.
Not yet. Awaab's Law currently applies to social housing in England. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows the government to extend it to private renting, and it has said it will consult on the details and timing first. Many private landlords and letting agents are already working to the same timeframes so they're ready.
Awaab's Law applies in England. Wales has similar deadlines for social landlords under the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (from 1 April 2026), and Scotland has new damp and mould rules for social and private landlords (from 6 October 2026). Northern Ireland has no equivalent law yet. See Across the UK above.
No. The law requires the landlord to investigate and fix hazards within set timeframes. HomeForensicsAI helps everyone keep clear, dated evidence of what was reported, what it looked like and when it was fixed. It doesn't carry out investigations or repairs, and it isn't legal advice.
Yes. An AI Scan report gives you dated photos, the areas that show visible signs of damp, mould or other problems, and a reference that anyone you share it with can verify. Send it to your landlord with your repair request so there's a clear record of when you reported the problem.
Report it to your landlord straight away, in writing, and say who is affected. If someone is unwell, speak to a GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999. If a social landlord doesn't respond, you can complain to them and then to the Housing Ombudsman.
Official guidance: Awaab's Law in the social rented sector (GOV.UK) and Awaab's Law Phase 2 guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK). This page is a plain-English summary, last checked on 30 September 2026.
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