From 27th October 2025, Awaab’s Law officially comes into force, a major milestone for tenant safety and housing standards across England. This new legal protection ensures that no one else should ever have to live in conditions as dangerous as those faced by two-year-old Awaab Ishak, whose tragic death in 2020 from prolonged exposure to damp and mould shocked the nation and sparked long-overdue reform. 

At Emerald Law Solicitors, we’ve spent years helping council and housing-association tenants get essential repairs done and claim compensation when landlords fail in their duty. With Awaab’s Law now in effect, tenants finally have clear timeframes and enforceable rights that demand faster, safer action from social landlords. If you're in a similar situation with a landlord refusing to make repairs, you have rights. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.

Why Awaab’s Law was introduced 

Awaab Ishak lived with his parents in a Rochdale Boroughwide Housing flat where persistent mould had been reported, yet little was done. After an inquest found that the condition of their home was a casual factor in his death, public pressure mounted for change. 

Phase one of that change is now here. Awaab’s Law, part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, gives social landlords strict legal deadlines to investigate and repair serious hazards such as damp and mould. It represents a vital shift away from landlords “dealing with issues when they can” to them acting immediately when tenants’ health is at risk. 

What Phase One means for tenants 

From October 2025, social housing landlords must: 

• Investigate emergency hazards, including severe damp or mould posing an immediate health risk, within 24 hours. 
• Carry out necessary repairs or remediation work within legally prescribed timeframes. 
• Keep tenants informed of the progress and outcomes of those investigations. 

If your landlord fails to take these steps once you’ve reported a problem, you may now have a stronger legal basis to demand action and even claim compensation for any harm or distress caused by delay. 

If you’ve reported damp, mould, leaks, or unsafe living conditions and your landlord hasn’t acted, contact Emerald Law Solicitors today. Our housing specialists can help you get the repairs you deserve. 

How Awaab’s Law protects you 

Before this law, tenants often faced vague promises that repairs would be made “as soon as possible.” Under Awaab’s Law, those words now have legal weight. Social landlords must: 

• Respond within set timeframes 
• Prioritise the health and safety of residents 
• Prove that they are meeting their repair obligations 

That means no more endless waiting, no more being ignored, and no more being told mould is your fault. 

If your landlord blames “lifestyle issues” instead of fixing the problem, speak to us, we can help challenge that and ensure your rights are upheld.

A step forward for safer homes 

Awaab’s Law is more than just regulation. It’s a promise that what happened to Awaab will never happen again. It gives power back to tenants and holds landlords accountable in a way that has long been needed. 

At Emerald Law Solicitors, we welcome this long-awaited change. Every tenant deserves a safe, warm, and healthy home, and we’re here to make sure that happens. 

If you’re struggling to get your landlord to fix damp, mould, leaks, or other disrepair, call us today on 0151 229 1170 or make an enquiry and we’ll be in touch to arrange your free initial consultation. We listen when your landlord doesn’t.