Housing rights for social renters

From 27 October 2025, Awaab’s Law gives new legal rights to people living in social housing.

It means your landlord must act fast when you report problems that could affect your health or safety.

• From 27 October 2025: the law covers hazards caused by damp and mould.
• From 2027: the law covers all other serious hazards in your home, such as electrical faults, fire risks, and structural problems. 

What you can expect

If you tell us about a hazard in your home, we must follow strict rules.

Emergency hazards

These are issues that could cause harm to your health or safety straight away, such as severe mould that can make breathing difficult.

• Within 24 hours: We must check the problem and, if confirmed, start work to make it safe straight away. 

Serious hazards

These are serious problems that may not be life-threatening but can still be a risk to your health, such as stubborn damp.

• Within 10 working days: We must investigate the issue. 
• Within three working days, after investigation: We will send you a written report telling you what we found.
• Within five working days, after investigation: We must start or finish safety work. 
• If there will be delays: Work must begin within 12 weeks.

If your home cannot be made safe whilst we carry out works

You must be offered somewhere else to live that is safe and suitable, free of charge. You stay in this accommodation until the hazard is fully resolved and your home is safe again. If this, happens we will keep you updated throughout the process. 

How your situation helps us make our decision

When we investigate hazards, we must think about:

• your health conditions
• who lives with you, such as children or older people
• any other things that make you or the people you live with vulnerable.

Even if the hazard isn’t the most serious - Category 1 under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System - we still have to include your situation in our decision.

Council responsibilities

We must:

• follow the Safety and Quality Standard set by the Regulator of Social Housing
• keep homes to the Decent Homes Standard
• make sure repairs are done properly, on time, and clearly explained to you.