The number of households covered by legally binding repair deadlines in England could more than double, from 4 million to around 9 million homes, under government plans to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.
The consultation, which closes on 18 December 2026, will examine how the law should be implemented for private renters and whether other forms of accommodation should be brought within scope in future, including temporary accommodation for homeless people and families, housing for young people leaving care, and supported housing where many elderly, disabled and other vulnerable people live.
For landlords, the compliance burden is tightening on several fronts. Landlords must already act on hazards found to significantly and seriously threaten tenants’ health and safety, and around one in 10 private rented homes currently carry a hazard at the most serious level, known as category 1. The Renters’ Rights Act has recently introduced fines of up to £7,000 where these serious dangers are found, and landlords renting out homes with the worst conditions already risk enforcement action. Awaab’s Law will go further by forcing quick action on such hazards within set legal timescales.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook framed the extension as a matter of consistent standards across tenures. “Irrespective of tenure, all renters have the right to live in a safe and decent home and have complaints responded to in a timely manner,” he said. “Awaab’s Law is already helping to drive up standards in the social housing sector. We’re now moving to extend it to private landlords so that England’s 11 million private renters can enjoy the same protections.”
The law carries the name of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to dangerous damp and mould. It was introduced to social housing last year, setting legal deadlines for landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould, and is being rolled out in the social sector in three phases. Phase 1 came into force on 31 October 2025, protecting tenants with fast repairs on severe damp and mould. Subject to parliamentary approval, phase 2 follows on 30 November 2026, extending protections to further serious hazards such as electrical hazards, excess cold and falls. The third and final phase, due in 2027, will cover all remaining hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System where they present a significant risk of harm, except overcrowding, which is addressed differently.
Meanwhile, the wider operating environment for private landlords has already been reshaped this year by the Renters’ Rights Act. Tenants can now raise issues without fearing repercussions, eviction with no reason is now illegal, and above-market rent increases can be challenged in court. The government has also updated the Housing Health and Safety Rating System for the first time in 20 years, a tool used to assess health and safety across all housing types, intended to make it simpler to identify dangerous risks and take action. The extension forms part of commitments in the Renters’ Rights Act and the National Plan to End Homelessness.
Sector organisations broadly welcomed the direction of travel while pressing for speed. Holly Williamson, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, said too many renters wait months for landlords to act on issues, adding: “We’re pleased to see the government moving forward with bringing in Awaab’s Law. It must be put in action as soon as possible to make sure every renter can live in a good quality home.”
Francesca Albanese, Director of Policy & Social Change at Crisis, pointed to conditions in temporary accommodation, saying hostels and B&Bs “can often be damp, mouldy and harmful to their health,” and welcomed action to improve standards for everyone, including those waiting for a more settled home. Clara Collingwood, Director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, urged an urgent public response, saying every additional day in which a child like Awaab Ishak’s life remains at risk should weigh heavily.
Morgan Vine, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, cited older renters with rats in their floors and mould on their walls who are too scared of repercussions to request repairs, noting that 96% of older renters polled supported the law. Anela Anwar, CEO of Become, the national charity for children in care and young care leavers, welcomed the government’s exploration of options to improve accommodation quality for care leavers.
An options assessment on the potential impacts of introducing Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector is being published alongside the consultation, and the government is seeking further evidence through the process to inform its assessment of those impacts. How far the final scope reaches beyond the 9 million private rented households will be one question the evidence gathering is designed to answer.