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The short version
Awaab's Law sets time limits for social landlords in England to investigate and fix hazards in tenants' homes. Phase 1 has applied since 27 October 2025, to emergency hazards and to significant damp and mould.
Phase 2 is due to start on 30 November 2026. It extends the significant-hazard rules to seven more groups of hazard, including excess cold, falls and electrical hazards. GOV.UK says the date is subject to parliamentary approval. On 10 November 2026 the amending regulations were still shown as a draft.
The time limits themselves do not change. What changes is which hazards fall inside them, how the emergency and significant tests are worded, and how many cases a repairs system has to track at once.
Most of what the law asks for is timing and written communication with the tenant: what you decided, what you told them, and when. The Regulations do not require you to keep records as such. In our reading, you will need them to show you met the limits.
This is a plain-English reading of the Regulations and the official guidance. It is not legal advice. The sources are listed at the end.
What changes on 30 November 2026
Awaab's Law is being introduced in phases. Phase 1 began on 27 October 2025. It covers all emergency hazards except overcrowding, and significant hazards caused by damp, mould or fungal growth.
Phase 2 extends the significant-hazard rules to the hazards below. GOV.UK says it is due to come into force on 30 November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. The Phase 1 guidance stays in effect until 11:59pm on 29 November.
The Phase 2 hazards:
- Excess cold
- Excess heat
- Falls on the level, on stairs, and between levels
- Structural collapse
- Fire and explosions
- Electrical hazards
- Domestic hygiene, including personal hygiene and food safety
A fire hazard is excluded if it arises from a deficiency in a part of a building regulated by the Fire Safety Order, and the building has two or more sets of domestic premises. The exclusion applies to both the emergency and the significant hazard rules.
A third phase is planned for 2027, covering the remaining hazards other than overcrowding. No exact date has been given.
For the new significant-hazard types, a matter you knew about before 30 November 2026 does not trigger the duties by itself. They apply only when a concern about it is first reported on or after that date, or when there is a material change (reg 21).
Who it applies to
Awaab's Law applies to social landlords in England that are registered providers. That includes local authorities and housing associations. It covers almost all social homes let under a tenancy, including temporary and supported accommodation when the occupier has a tenancy agreement.
It does not apply to homes occupied under a licence, to long leaseholds, or to low-cost home ownership such as shared ownership. A government consultation on extending the law to private rented tenancies and to licences closes on 18 December 2026. That is a consultation, not a change in the law.
What counts as an emergency or a significant hazard
The Regulations define both by a test. The test asks what a reasonable landlord would make safe, given what it knows or reasonably ought to know about the health and circumstances of the occupier. An emergency hazard poses an imminent and significant risk of harm that a reasonable landlord would make safe within 24 hours. A significant hazard is one a reasonable landlord would make safe within 15 working days, but not within 24 hours.
Phase 2 also changes the wording of both tests. For significant hazards, 'take steps to make safe as a matter of urgency' becomes 'make safe within 15 working days'. That applies to damp and mould as well as the new hazards. For emergencies, the words 'take steps to' are removed.
The 15 working days appears only inside that definition. It decides whether a hazard is in scope. It is not a deadline for finishing the work. The limits for the work itself are in the next section.
A hazard counts only if it arises from a deficiency in the home, or in a building or land nearby, for which you are responsible. It does not count if it is wholly or mainly due to the tenant's breach of the lease, or to disrepair you are not obliged to make good. The guidance says work too large for a reasonable landlord to make safe within 15 working days falls outside Awaab's Law.
Because the test turns on the occupier's health and circumstances, the guidance says the same hazard can be an emergency for one household and not for another. Triage has to be done case by case. A tenant does not need to provide medical evidence, and reports of vulnerability should generally be taken at face value. If medical evidence is offered, it should be taken into account.
The guidance gives examples of possible emergencies. They include gas or carbon monoxide leaks, broken boilers, total loss of water supply, exposed wiring and major leaks. The hazards guidance sets no thresholds, for example on temperature or the amount of mould. It expects landlords to use professional judgement.
The time limits
The investigation clocks start when the landlord becomes aware of an issue of concern. That means a matter that is or may be a significant or emergency hazard, or a material change to one you already knew about. For most limits, day one is the day after. The later clocks run from the end of an investigation.
The 24 hours for an emergency runs from the moment you are aware of an issue of concern and have reasonable grounds to believe there is an emergency hazard. If an investigation later concludes that there is an emergency hazard and identifies safety work, a fresh 24 hours runs from the end of that investigation. The guidance says the 24 hours starts as soon as a landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard.
Working days exclude weekends, Christmas Day, Good Friday and bank holidays in England and Wales. The durations are the same in Phase 1 and Phase 2.
| What must happen | Time limit | Counted from | Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigate an emergency hazard, and complete the safety work if one is found | 24 hours at the latest, and as soon as reasonably practicable within that. Part 6 can replace this (see below) | From when you are aware of an issue of concern and have reasonable grounds to believe there is an emergency hazard. A later investigation that finds an emergency hazard starts a fresh 24 hours from its end | Reg 5 |
| Investigate a significant hazard | 10 working days | From the day after you become aware of the issue | Reg 6 |
| Carry out a physical inspection the tenant asks for | 10 working days, in the cases covered by regs 6 and 7 | From the day after the request | Regs 6 and 7 |
| Give the tenant a written summary | 3 working days, unless the required work is completed within that time | From the day after an investigation is completed | Reg 9 |
| Complete the safety work for a significant hazard | 5 working days. Part 6 can replace this (see below) | From the day after the investigation is completed | Reg 11 |
| Begin the work to stop the hazard coming back or, where that is not reasonably practicable, take steps to secure that it begins | 5 working days | From the day after the investigation, or further investigation, is completed | Reg 13 |
| If you took steps instead, begin that work | As soon as reasonably practicable, and before 12 weeks | From the day after the investigation that found the hazard is completed | Reg 13 |
| Finish the work to stop the hazard coming back | Within a reasonable period | No fixed limit | Reg 13 |
| Keep the tenant informed, and tell them when the work is done | Reasonable steps, with no fixed interval | Until the work is completed, or another end event in reg 14(3) occurs | Reg 14 |
| Give notice if you rely on the right of entry the Regulations imply into the lease | At least 24 hours' notice in writing, at a reasonable time of day | Before entry | Reg 20 |
Source: the Regulations as made (SI 2025/1042), which the Phase 2 draft does not change on these points. The Regulations take precedence over any summary, including this one.
Two details are easy to misread. The five working days for safety work on a significant hazard is a limit for completing that work, not for starting it. The 12 weeks is a final cut-off for beginning work to stop the hazard coming back, not for finishing it. The Regulations call that work supplementary preventative work. It is not needed to make the home safe. It is needed to ensure, so far as possible, that the hazard does not recur.
If you are, or are likely to be, unable to complete the safety work within 24 hours or 5 working days, Part 6 of the Regulations applies. You must secure suitable alternative accommodation for the household, at no cost to them, from the end of that period until the work is done, unless the tenant refuses an offer. If you comply with Part 6, the limit is replaced by 'as soon as reasonably practicable' (regs 5, 11, 15 and 16).
A further investigation has no fixed limit. It must be completed as soon as reasonably practicable (reg 8).
The Regulations contain no pause in a clock when a tenant does not give access. A different rule covers third-party consents. A duty ends once the work cannot lawfully be done without another person's consent and you have exhausted all reasonable endeavours to obtain it (for example regs 5(6), 11(3) and 13(5)). The sources we read do not say whether a tenant's consent counts. The defence for refused access, and the records that support it, are covered below.
What the Regulations require you to send
The Regulations require written documents at specific points. They do not require you to keep records as such. The guidance goes further.
In law, you must:
- give the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of each investigation, unless the required work is finished within that time (reg 9)
- say in that summary whether a hazard was found and what it is, what action follows and the target timescale for beginning and finishing it, or that no action is needed and why, and how to contact you (reg 9)
- if the household stays in the home while you cannot finish the safety work within 24 hours or 5 working days, give them a document of safety advice by the end of that period, or as soon as reasonably practicable after it (reg 17)
- where you cannot complete the safety work within that time, secure suitable alternative accommodation for the household at no cost to them, unless they refuse an offer (reg 16)
- take reasonable steps to keep the tenant informed about the timing and progress of the work, and tell them when it is complete (reg 14)
- if the required work ends because consent cannot be obtained, or a later investigation finds no hazard or no required work, give the tenant a document saying so, and why, as soon as reasonably practicable (reg 14)
- if you rely on the right of entry the Regulations imply into the lease, give at least 24 hours' notice in writing and enter at a reasonable time of day (reg 20)
The Regulations set no retention period for any record. The official guidance goes further than the law on evidence. It uses 'should' for good practice. It recommends keeping clear records of all engagement, investigations and communications with tenants, including reports from managing agents or contractors.
It also recommends recording when a written summary was given. The three working days run to the time you give it, not the time the tenant receives it. And it recommends detailed records of attempts to gain access, such as visits, calls and emails. The law gives you a defence if you used all reasonable endeavours, but it is for a court to decide whether you did.
Information about tenants is personal data and may be sensitive. The guidance reminds landlords that UK GDPR places special restrictions on recording health data.
What a repairs system needs to be able to show
The Regulations never say 'your system must'. They require limits and documents. To show you met them, and to rely on the defence of all reasonable endeavours, you would need to hold certain things. In our reading, a repairs system has to be able to hold and produce those things.
The table sets out what they are. In every row, holding the item is our reading. The last column shows where the underlying duty, advice or expectation comes from: the Regulations, the statute, official guidance, the Housing Ombudsman or the Regulator.
| What the system holds | Why it matters | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| The time you became aware, and the channel it came through | The investigation clocks start here, and a material change to a known case starts one again. Later clocks run from the end of an investigation. The guidance says that where a contractor you employ becomes aware, whether you are treated as aware then depends on whether they act as your agent. For other third parties you are usually treated as aware on the date they notify you. | Regulations (regs 5, 6) and guidance |
| The right clock for each case | 24 hours for emergencies, with a fresh 24 hours if an investigation later finds an emergency hazard. Working days, counted from the day after, for the investigation, summary and safety-work limits, with weekends and bank holidays left out. | Regulations (regs 2, 5, 6) |
| Household circumstances and vulnerabilities | Whether a hazard is an emergency or significant depends on what you know or ought to know about the occupier's health and circumstances. | Regulations (reg 3) and guidance |
| Who investigated, when, and whether the tenant asked for a physical inspection | A competent investigator must carry out the investigation, taking account of information from the tenant and third parties. It must include a physical inspection if the tenant asks before it is completed. | Regulations (regs 2, 5, 6) |
| Each written summary, its contents, and the time it was given | The three working days run to when you give it. It must carry the specified information. | Regulations (regs 9, 10). Recording when it was given is guidance |
| Safety work, work to stop recurrence, and updates to the tenant | These are separate duties with separate limits. The tenant must be kept informed and told when the work is complete. | Regulations (regs 5, 11, 12, 13, 14 and Part 6) |
| Every attempt to gain access | The Regulations contain no pause in a clock for refused access. You have a defence if you used all reasonable endeavours, and the guidance recommends detailed records. | Statute (section 10A) and guidance |
| What contractors did, and when they told you | You stay responsible when contractors do the work. The Housing Ombudsman says contractor delay is not a valid reason for missing a limit. | Guidance and Housing Ombudsman |
| Whether each repair counts as an emergency or a non-emergency repair | For the Regulator's repairs-completed measure (RP02), an emergency hazard counts as an emergency responsive repair. Unless other conditions apply, a significant hazard counts as a non-emergency one. This applies to data collected from 1 April 2026. | Regulator of Social Housing |
| A history of each case that can be produced on request | The Housing Ombudsman looks at call and email records, system notes, repairs and inspection records. It needs clear evidence that you recorded, assessed and responded. | Housing Ombudsman |
Our reading is that this is easier to meet with one shared record for each case than with a list of tasks. Landlords in the Phase 1 test-and-learn research, which covered 30 tenants and 35 landlords, reported 'a shift towards end-to-end case tracking and management rather than a purely task-based repairs model'. The research also says that limitations in IT interoperability constrained the pace and consistency of delivery.
The Phase 2 impact assessment says landlords 'may not have IT systems designed to track and manage the broader set of hazards under the Awaab's Law statutory requirements'. It says a new system may be needed to record, monitor and report on investigations and actions. It did not put a cost on this.
What happens if a limit is missed
Awaab's Law is enforced through the courts. It adds a term to every social tenancy within its scope. If a landlord breaches it, the tenant can take legal action for breach of contract. The court can order the repairs, order compensation, and order the landlord to pay some or all of the tenant's legal costs. GOV.UK states that Awaab's Law does not provide for fines.
It is a defence to prove that you used all reasonable endeavours to avoid the breach. The guidance says it would ultimately be for the court to decide whether you did, so records of what you tried matter.
The Housing Ombudsman handles complaints about compliance using its usual powers. It can find maladministration where a landlord has failed to comply with relevant legislation. The Regulator of Social Housing does not decide individual complaints. It sets standards, including a requirement to meet all legal health and safety requirements, which the guidance says include Awaab's Law.
The guidance says the Regulator has a range of enforcement powers where a provider fails to deliver the outcomes its standards require. Those sit outside Awaab's Law itself.
What repairs data shows today
The Regulator of Social Housing published its 2025/26 tenant satisfaction measures on 5 November 2026. They cover responsive repairs in general, not Awaab's Law cases, and registered providers with 1,000 or more homes.
Landlords raised just over 18.4 million responsive repairs in 2025/26. They recorded 83% of non-emergency repairs and 93% of emergency repairs as completed within their own target timescales. The middle value of the maximum targets landlords reported was 24 hours for emergency repairs and 28 working days for non-emergency repairs. The Regulator notes that the median emergency timeline is in line with Awaab's Law.
The 83% and 93% are sector-wide proportions of all responsive repairs. The 24 hours and 28 working days are the middle values of targets that landlords set for themselves. None of these shows how long an individual repair took. Awaab's Law adds limits that apply to each case.
What we could not establish
Whether Parliament has approved the Phase 2 amending regulations. We could not read Parliament's records on 10 November 2026.
The date of Phase 3. Official sources say 2027 and give no day.
How long records must be kept. No source we read sets a retention period.
How many attempts to gain access are enough. The guidance lists what reasonable endeavours can include and gives no number.
How the 24 hours' written notice of entry in regulation 20 fits an emergency. No source we read says.
Whether a tenant's consent counts under the rules that end a duty when another person's consent is needed.
How the Housing Ombudsman will treat the Phase 2 hazards. Its published guidance on hazards was written for Phase 1, and we found nothing specific to Phase 2.
The Phase 2 guidance for tenants. GOV.UK says it will be published 'in due course ahead of the 30 November 2026 implementation date'.
How it was researched
We read the Regulations as made (SI 2025/1042) and the draft Amendment Regulations. We also read the GOV.UK text of the Regulations as they would apply from 30 November 2026. We read the Phase 1 and Phase 2 guidance, and pages from the Regulator of Social Housing and the Housing Ombudsman Service. All were read on 10 November 2026. We did not use law firm summaries. We drafted this article with AI assistance. A second AI reviewer, working separately, then checked each claim against the primary text, and we changed the article where it found gaps. Where a guidance page and the Regulations differ, we follow the Regulations. This article is not legal advice. What a repairs system needs to hold is our reading, and we say where it goes beyond the law.
Questions for your team
- Can we show the exact time we became aware of a hazard, whichever channel it came through?
- Does each case start the right clock, and do the clocks skip weekends and bank holidays correctly?
- Where do we record a household's health and circumstances, and who can see it?
- Can we show who investigated, and whether the tenant asked for a physical inspection?
- Can we show when each written summary was given, and what it said?
- If we cannot finish safety work in time, can we show the rehousing offer and the safety advice we gave?
- Do our contractors know the time limits, and do their updates reach our record without being typed in again?
- If a tenant or the Housing Ombudsman asked for the full history of one case tomorrow, could we produce it?
Sources
Links open the primary source. Page dates are those shown on each page. All were read on 10 November 2026.
The Regulations and the Act
- The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, as made (SI 2025/1042)
- Draft Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (draft, not yet made)
- Awaab's Law Regulations as they apply from 30 November 2026 (GOV.UK consolidated text, 13 July 2026)
- Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, section 42
Official guidance and statements
- Awaab's Law in the social rented sector (GOV.UK collection)
- Awaab's Law: Phase 2 guidance for social housing landlords (updated 31 July 2026)
- Awaab's Law: Phase 2 hazards guidance for social landlords (updated 31 July 2026)
- Awaab's Law Phase 2: final stage impact assessment (MHCLG, 13 July 2026)
- Awaab's Law Phase 1 test-and-learn research report: executive summary (13 July 2026)
- Safer homes for 4m tenants with quicker action on dangerous homes (MHCLG press release, 13 July 2026)
- Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families (MHCLG press release, 8 October 2026)
- Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences (consultation, opened 9 October 2026)
Regulator and Ombudsman
- Regulator of Social Housing, Tenant satisfaction measures 2025/26: headline report (5 November 2026)
- Regulator of Social Housing, Tenant satisfaction measures: technical requirements (updated 11 June 2026)
- Housing Ombudsman Service, Awaab's Law: expectations of landlords
- Housing Ombudsman Service, Guidance on complaints involving hazards
