Awaab's Law Response Deadlines for Landlords | Togal

title: "Awaab's Law: Landlord Response Deadlines Explained" slug: awaabs-law-landlord-response-deadlines description: "Understand the specific response deadlines landlords must meet under Awaab's Law, including emergency acknowledgement, standard response, and investigation timelines." category: safety keywords:

awaabs law landlord
awaab's law response time
damp and mould landlord obligations
housing hazard response deadlines
landlord repair timescales date: 2026-02-15 updated: 2026-03-01

What Is Awaab's Law?

Awaab's Law refers to amendments introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. Phase 1 of Awaab's Law came into force on 27 October 2025 and applies to social housing landlords only. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 contains provisions to extend equivalent obligations to the private rented sector, but this extension has not yet come into force and no confirmed date has been set. The law establishes strict, legally enforceable timeframes within which landlords must respond to reports of housing hazards, particularly damp, mould, and conditions that pose a risk to tenant health.

The legislation is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's housing association flat in Rochdale. The coroner's report, published in November 2022, found that Awaab's death was directly caused by mould in the property and that the housing association had failed to act on repeated complaints.

The case prompted widespread public outrage and led the government to introduce mandatory response deadlines so that no landlord, whether social or private, could ignore reports of dangerous living conditions.

Why Private Landlords Need to Pay Attention

While the initial provisions of Awaab's Law targeted social housing providers through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 (Phase 1, in force from 27 October 2025), the Renters' Rights Act 2025 contains provisions to extend equivalent obligations to the private rented sector. This PRS extension is expected but has not yet come into force, and no confirmed commencement date has been announced. Private landlords should prepare now, as once the extension is enacted, every landlord letting a residential property in England will be required to comply with prescribed response deadlines when a tenant reports a hazard.

Even before the PRS extension takes effect, failing to respond promptly to hazard reports is not simply a matter of poor practice. Landlords already face legal consequences under existing legislation, including enforcement action by local authorities and potential claims by tenants.

The Specific Response Deadlines

Awaab's Law introduces a tiered system of deadlines depending on the severity and nature of the reported hazard. These are not guidelines or best practice suggestions. They are legal requirements.

24-Hour Emergency Acknowledgement

When a tenant reports an emergency hazard, meaning one that poses an imminent risk to health or safety, the landlord must acknowledge the report within 24 hours. An emergency hazard includes situations such as:

A gas leak or suspected carbon monoxide exposure
Sewage overflow into the property
Severe structural damage making part of the property unsafe
Extensive water ingress during a storm causing electrical danger
Serious mould exposure where a vulnerable occupant (child, elderly person, immunocompromised individual) is present

The acknowledgement must be in writing and must confirm that the landlord has received the report and will take action. A verbal conversation alone does not satisfy this requirement. Using a platform like Togal to acknowledge the report creates a timestamped, verifiable record that proves compliance with the 24-hour deadline.

Written Summary After Investigation

After completing the investigation, the landlord must provide a written summary within 3 working days. This summary must include:

Confirmation that the report has been received and investigated
The identified cause of the hazard
The proposed remedy and next steps, including any contractor visits
A realistic timeline for completing the repair work

Common hazards that require investigation and a written summary include reports of damp patches, minor mould growth, persistent leaks, faulty heating systems (outside winter emergency periods), and broken extractor fans.

10 Working Day Investigation Period

Where the hazard requires further investigation to determine its cause or the appropriate remedy, the landlord has 10 working days from the initial report to complete that investigation and provide the tenant with a written plan of action. The investigation plan must detail:

What inspections or assessments have been carried out
The identified cause of the hazard
The proposed remedy
A realistic timeline for completing the repair work

This 10 working day period is not an extension of the initial response. The initial acknowledgement must still happen promptly. The 10 working day investigation window allows the landlord to bring in specialists, such as damp surveyors or structural engineers, to diagnose more complex problems before committing to a repair plan.

Completing Repairs

Once a repair plan has been agreed, the landlord must begin work within a reasonable time and complete it without unnecessary delay. While the legislation does not prescribe a single universal deadline for completion (because repairs vary enormously in scope), the expectation is that emergency repairs are addressed immediately and standard repairs are completed within a reasonable period, typically interpreted as no more than a few weeks for straightforward work.

If a landlord cannot complete repairs within the expected timeframe due to supply chain issues, contractor availability, or the complexity of the work, they must communicate this to the tenant in writing, explain the delay, and provide a revised timeline.

What Counts as a Hazard?

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), established under the Housing Act 2004, provides the framework for assessing hazards. Under the HHSRS, a hazard is any risk of harm to the health or safety of an occupier arising from a deficiency in the property.

Hazards are divided into two categories:

Category 1 hazards are the most serious and include conditions that pose a significant risk of death, permanent injury, or severe illness. Local authorities have a duty to take enforcement action when Category 1 hazards are identified.

Category 2 hazards are less severe but still pose a risk to health or safety. Local authorities have discretionary powers to act on Category 2 hazards.

Common Hazards in Rental Properties

Damp and mould growth (the most common trigger for Awaab's Law obligations)
Excess cold due to inadequate heating or insulation
Falls on stairs or between levels
Electrical hazards from faulty wiring
Fire risks from inadequate detection or escape routes
Carbon monoxide or gas safety issues
Asbestos exposure
Structural collapse or falling elements

For more on related safety obligations, see our guides on gas safety certificates, EICR requirements, and fire safety regulations.

Damp and Mould: The Core Obligation

Damp and mould sit at the heart of Awaab's Law. The legislation was directly prompted by mould-related harm, and landlords should expect that damp and mould complaints will be treated with the highest level of scrutiny by enforcement bodies.

What Landlords Must Do About Damp and Mould

Never dismiss a mould complaint as a "lifestyle issue." The era of blaming tenants for mould by suggesting they should open windows more often is over. Courts and tribunals have consistently found that structural causes, including inadequate ventilation systems, poor insulation, and thermal bridging, are overwhelmingly responsible for mould in rental properties.
Investigate the root cause. Surface cleaning is not a repair. When mould is reported, the landlord must investigate and address the underlying cause, whether that is a leaking pipe, inadequate extractor fans, missing or damaged insulation, or rising damp.
Provide interim measures. While the root cause is being investigated, the landlord should offer practical interim measures such as dehumidifiers, mould treatment, or temporary alternative accommodation if the mould is severe.
Document everything. Every communication, inspection, contractor quote, and repair should be recorded with dates. This documentation is the landlord's primary defence if compliance is ever challenged.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failure to meet Awaab's Law deadlines exposes landlords to several forms of enforcement and penalty:

Improvement notices issued by local authorities under the Housing Act 2004, requiring specific works within a set period
Prohibition orders preventing the use of all or part of the property
Civil penalties of up to £40,000 per offence (from 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025), issued by local authorities as an alternative to prosecution
Prosecution under the Housing Act 2004, which can result in an unlimited fine
Rent repayment orders obtained by tenants through the First-tier Tribunal, requiring the landlord to repay up to 24 months' rent (from 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025)
Banning orders in the most serious cases, preventing the landlord from letting properties

Additionally, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, tenants may have grounds to apply to the First-tier Tribunal if a landlord fails to meet the prescribed response deadlines, regardless of whether the local authority takes separate enforcement action.

How to Document Your Responses

Documentation is the single most important tool a landlord has when it comes to Awaab's Law compliance. If you cannot prove you responded within the deadlines, you will be treated as though you did not.

Practical Documentation Checklist

Log all tenant reports with the date and time they were received
Send written acknowledgement within the appropriate deadline (24 hours for emergencies or 3 working days for non-emergency hazards)
Record all telephone conversations with a follow-up written summary sent to the tenant
Keep copies of all contractor quotes, invoices, and completion certificates
Photograph the reported hazard before, during, and after repair
Save all emails, letters, and messages related to the issue
Maintain a timeline of actions taken, with dates

Togal's communication platform is designed specifically for this purpose. Every message exchanged between landlord and tenant through Togal is timestamped and stored as an immutable record. This means neither party can alter or delete the communication history, providing clear evidence of when a hazard was reported, when it was acknowledged, and what steps were taken. For landlords managing multiple properties, this kind of systematic record-keeping can be the difference between demonstrating compliance and facing a penalty notice.

Preparing for Awaab's Law: Action Steps

Immediate Steps Every Landlord Should Take

Audit all your properties for damp and mould. Do not wait for tenant reports. Proactive inspection is the best defence.
Review your communication processes. Can you prove, with timestamped records, when you received a tenant report and when you responded? If not, fix this immediately.
Build a network of reliable contractors. When a hazard is reported, you need to be able to get someone to the property quickly. Having pre-vetted contractors for plumbing, damp, electrical, and general repairs will help you meet deadlines.
Educate yourself on the HHSRS. Understanding what constitutes a Category 1 and Category 2 hazard helps you triage reports correctly and respond proportionately.
Create a standard response procedure. Document your process for handling hazard reports so that you (and anyone managing your property) can follow it consistently.
Check your insurance. Ensure your landlord insurance covers the types of repairs likely to arise from hazard reports, including specialist damp and mould remediation.

Ongoing Compliance

Conduct property inspections at least every six months, with documented findings
Respond to every maintenance request in writing, even if it seems minor
Keep records for a minimum of six years (the limitation period for most civil claims)
Stay updated on secondary legislation and guidance as the Renters' Rights Act 2025 provisions are rolled out in phases

How Awaab's Law Interacts with Other Obligations

Awaab's Law does not exist in isolation. It sits alongside a landlord's existing obligations under the Housing Act 2004, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (Section 11 repairing obligations), the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

For example, Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 already requires landlords to keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair, as well as the installations for heating, water, and sanitation. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 gives tenants the right to take their landlord to court if the property is unfit for habitation. Awaab's Law adds prescribed deadlines on top of these existing duties.

Understanding how these obligations interact is essential. A landlord who meets the Awaab's Law deadlines but fails to actually complete the repair may still face action under other legislation. For guidance on related compliance requirements, see our resources on EPC regulations and deposit protection.

Summary

Awaab's Law establishes clear, non-negotiable deadlines for landlords to respond to housing hazards. The 24-hour emergency acknowledgement, 10 working day investigation period, 3 working day written summary, and 5 working day repair commencement deadline are legal requirements that currently apply to social housing landlords in England (from October 2025), with extension to private landlords expected under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 but not yet in force. Damp and mould are the primary focus, but the law covers all HHSRS hazards.

The best way to comply is to combine proactive property management with robust, timestamped documentation of every communication and action. Landlords who take this seriously will not only avoid penalties but will also maintain better relationships with their tenants and protect the long-term value of their properties.