Awaab’s Law to be extended to private rentals: government consults on repair deadlines

The government is consulting on how Awaab’s Law should apply to privately rented homes in England. The consultation, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 9 October 2026, runs until 11.59pm on 18 December 2026 and asks what legal deadlines landlords should have to investigate and fix serious hazards such as damp and mould.

18 Dec 2026

Consultation closes at 11.59pm

10 working days

Social housing timescale to investigate, used as the starting point

2027

Earliest feasible start date, per the consultation

What the consultation asks

The powers come from sections 60 and 61 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which allow Awaab’s Law requirements to be implied into private tenancies and certain licences. The government has not settled the timescales. For each step it says there is a case for matching the social housing rules, but asks whether private landlords need different deadlines, and offers alternatives.

1. 1
   Investigate
   Social housing: 10 working days. Options asked: 5, 10 or 15.
2. 2
   Written summary to the tenant
   Social housing: within 3 working days of the investigation concluding. Options asked: 1, 3 or 5, and whether a summary should be required at all.
3. 3
   Make safe
   Options asked: 3, 5 or 10 working days.
4. 4
   Further preventative works
   Social housing: start within 5 working days, or take steps to start and begin within 12 weeks. The consultation asks whether private landlords need longer.
5. 5
   Emergency hazards
   Social housing approach: within 24 hours. Options asked: 12, 24 or 48 hours.

The consultation suggests covering all Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards except overcrowding. As well as private tenancies, it covers supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and care leaver accommodation occupied under licence.

When could it start?

No start date has been set. The consultation says the earliest feasible implementation would be 2027, and asks whether it should begin in 2027, 2028 or 2029, and whether it should be phased. One suggested first phase would cover damp and mould plus all emergency hazards, as in social housing.

What it means for landlords

• Because the duties would be implied into tenancies, the consultation says tenants could take a landlord to court for breach, and the court could order repairs, compensation and costs.
• Councils would not enforce the Awaab’s Law timescales directly, but can still act on category 1 hazards.
• Tenants could also complain to the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman, which the consultation says is expected to be established from 2028.
• The PRS Decent Homes Standard is a separate measure, which the consultation says councils will enforce from 2035.

Landlords who want a say on the deadlines they could face should respond before 18 December. In the meantime, a clear process for logging and acting on repair reports, especially damp and mould, is sensible preparation.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Extending Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies and to licences (consultation)
• legislation.gov.uk: Renters’ Rights Act 2025, section 60

This article is general information for UK landlords, not legal advice. Check the current position or take professional advice.