Awaab’s Law – what it means for you
From 30 November 2026, Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law covers more types of hazard in your home. Awaab’s Law came into force on 27 October 2025 following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died because of damp and mould in his home.
The law sets clear timescales for social landlords to respond when certain hazards are reported. We’ll consider the problem and the risk it may pose to the health or safety of the people in your home, then explain what happens next.
Keeping you Safe
Keeping you and your home safe is our top priority. When you tell us something is wrong, we will act quickly and explain clearly what will happen next. We will always consider both the condition of your property and the needs of the people living there, so that the most urgent cases – especially where people are vulnerable – are dealt with first.
Working together makes all the difference. By reporting hazards to us as soon as you spot them, you help us take swift action and keep your home safe.
Act quickly
The law sets strict deadlines for action and we are committed to meeting them.
- Emergency hazards (such as gas leaks, electrical faults, or severe mould) will be investigated and your home made safe within 24 hours.
- Damp and mould and other significant hazards will be:
- Investigated within 10 working days
- We’ll give you a written summary of the investigation findings within three working days of the investigation ending.
- Your home will be made safe within 5 working days of the investigation finishing.
- If further work is needed to prevent the hazard returning, we’ll start it, or take steps to arrange it, within five working days of the investigation ending. If the work can’t start within that time, we’ll take steps to start it as soon as reasonably practicable and within 12 weeks.
A significant hazard does not pose an imminent risk, but could cause serious harm to someone’s health or safety if it is not dealt with promptly.
The same type of problem may be an emergency or significant hazard, depending on the risk and the circumstances in your home. We’ll assess each report individually.
Examples:
Reporting issues to us quickly helps us keep your home safe
Reporting issues to us quickly, helps us keep your home safe.
Call the Platform Hub on 0333 200 7304
We are committed to listening, acting promptly, and making sure you know what’s happening every step of the way.
FAQ's
Awaab’s Law is a legal requirement for social landlords to investigate and deal with certain serious hazards in customers’ homes within set timescales. It came into force on 27 October 2025. From 30 November 2026, Phase 2 extends the law to more types of hazard, including excess cold and heat, falls, structural hazards, fire, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene.
It is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 after being exposed to damp and mould in his home. The law was introduced to require social landlords to act within set timescales when serious hazards are reported.
We’ll assess each report by looking at the condition of your home, the risk it may pose to health or safety, and the circumstances of the people living there. This helps us decide how quickly we need to act.
Not usually. Most issues will be fixed while you stay in your home.
If we can’t complete the work needed to make your home safe within the required timeframe, we’ll arrange suitable temporary accommodation at our expense until the safety work is complete.
Because hazards like damp, mould, gas leaks, or electrical faults can cause serious illness or injury. Reporting them quickly helps us act faster to keep you and your family safe.
You can find examples of emergency and significant hazards in the “Hazards explained” section above. Please report any concern to us, even if you’re unsure which category it falls into.
Platform is responsible for following Awaab’s Law. The Regulator of Social Housing monitors landlords’ performance against its standards but does not investigate individual complaints. If you’re unhappy with how we’ve handled an issue, please use our complaints process. If you remain unhappy after receiving our final response, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman.
We assess each report by looking at the extent and location of the damp or mould, how long it has been there, its effect on your home and health, and the circumstances of the people living there. Please report any damp or mould, even if it appears small.
