Safer homes for 4m tenants with quicker action on dangerous homes

Safer homes for 4m tenants with quicker action on dangerous homes
The second phase of Awaab's Law will come into force on 30 November 2026, so more dangerous hazards are fixed quickly to help tenants living in social housing.
- All social housing tenants will get more rights to have serious problems dealt with faster, under strict new rules for landlords from 30 November 2026
- Changes are brought by Awaab’s Law – introduced after two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in 2020 after living with dangerous damp and mould
- Landlords will have to fix more dangers like electrical faults, pest infestations and unsafe stairs to quicker timeframes
More hazards that pose an immediate danger to social housing tenants must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours, under strict new rules that will come into force on 30 November 2026.
This move will put tenants first by addressing seven more hazards such as electrical faults, risks of falling, structural defects, excess cold and heat, fire risks and hygiene issues like pest infestations.
If any of these problems are serious but not immediately dangerous, landlords must still act quickly. If you’re a social housing tenant, this means they must:
- Investigate within 10 working days
- Tell you what’s wrong and what they’ll do within 3 working days in a written summary
- Carry out urgent safety work within 5 working days of the investigation, meaning your home will be made safe within 15 days or less
- Start longer-term repairs within 12 weeks
Since 27 October 2025, Awaab’s Law has required social housing landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould to these firm timeframes.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:
Awaab’s Law sends a clear message that tenants’ health and safety can never be compromised.
This action will mean dangers have to be dealt with quickly by law, protecting tenants’ rights to a safe and decent home.
Alongside building more social and affordable homes through a major £39 billion programme, more work is underway to improve the experiences of tenants.
The £2 million Social Housing Innovation Fund is trialling new ways to elevate tenants’ voices so they can confidently exercise their rights - ensuring they are listened to and taken seriously.
The recently introduced Social Housing Bill will strengthen protections for tenants facing domestic abuse and its Right to Buy reforms will help keep more social homes for future tenants.
Meanwhile, Awaab’s Law – soon to reach its second phase for social housing - will ensure that tenants’ health and safety is prioritised.
The third and final phase will be introduced in 2027, extending this fast action to all remaining hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, except overcrowding.
Gavin Smart, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) said:
Extending Awaab’s Law to these hazards is an important step towards safer, healthier homes, and we welcome the collaborative approach the government has taken. This is about more than compliance; it is a culture of listening to residents and acting on their concerns, and that is the change we want to help the sector deliver. CIH will support our members in delivering these duties and in continuing to feedback throughout the test-and-learn phase.
The regulations for phase 2 are being laid in Parliament today (Monday 13 July 2026) and new guidance is being published on these extended hazards, to help landlords prepare.
Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation said:
The safety of homes is housing associations’ top priority. We welcome the publication of this guidance, which gives housing associations more clarity over the next phase of Awaab’s Law and time to prepare for its implementation.
We and our members have engaged with the government throughout the development of Awaab’s Law to ensure it achieves the best outcomes for residents and is deliverable for housing associations, and we will continue to work with the government on these important measures.
ENDS
Notes to editors
These statutory changes mark the second phase of Awaab’s Law being introduced to protect tenants. It is placing new legal duties on landlords in three separate phases over time, with the first phase already protecting tenants against severe damp and mould and emergency hazards since 27 October 2025.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is bringing in the second phase after extensively testing and learning with the sector. The government will work with landlords and tenants over the summer to support them to prepare for this vital legislation.
These are the seven hazard categories that Awaab’s Law phase 2 will cover:
- Electrical hazards
- Falls (including falls on the level, falls on stairs and falls between levels)
- Fire and explosions
- Excess cold
- Excess heat
- Structural collapse and falling elements
- Domestic hygiene
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System was recently updated for the first time in 20 years. It is used to assess health and safety in all types of housing, making it simpler to identify dangerous risks and take action.