Published
Awaab’s Law came into force on 27 October 2025 and is a landmark regulation aimed at tackling health hazards in social housing – starting with damp and mould. Named after Awaab Ishak, a toddler who tragically died due to prolonged mould exposure in his home, the law sets strict timeframes for landlords to investigate and fix hazards that pose a significant or imminent risk to tenants’ health.
Phase 1:
The law requires social landlords to comply with fixed timescales, see Awaab’s Law: Guidance for social landlords for full details. The timelines are included below:
Emergency hazards (e.g. severe mould, structural collapse and fire risks) must be addressed within 24 hours
Significant hazards must be investigated within 10 working days, with repairs starting within 5 days (or up to 12 weeks if justified)
Social landlords should consider the vulnerability of their tenants. A hazard which may typically not be considered an emergency might become an emergency due to the vulnerability. The landlord would have to provide alternative accommodation if they are unable to complete the necessary safety work within the timescale mentioned above.
Phase 2: Oct 2026
The second phase of this law will usher in additional significant hazards within the scope. Such as:
Structural collapse and explosions
Excess cold and heat
Fire and electrical hazards
Falls associated with bath, stairs, between levels and/or level surfaces
Phase 3: Oct 2027
All other significant hazards except hazards arising from overcrowding.
How Crescent Services can support the housing sector
Crescent Services offers ready-to-use, compliant frameworks that help social landlords act quickly and cost-effectively:
This framework covers: heating, hot water, ventilation, plumbing, lifts and electrical systems - ideal for tackling planned preventative and reactive maintenance services
A flexible route to procure vetted contractors for building repairs, refurbishments and estate improvements - with multiple trade categories to choose from and your local suppliers can join the DPS
Finally, our On Demand tendering team consists of many category specialists. They can carry out a one-off tender should such an emergency arise when a housing association’s in-house procurement team are stretched to full capacity.
Find out more about our frameworks, choose from our range of procurement consultancy services or contact our friendly team to find out how we can support your organisation. Public sector organisations can join Crescent Services for free, register as a member today.