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The government is to phase the introduction of Awaab’s Law to improve standards in social rented housing, focusing initially on measures to tackle damp and mould.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner issued a statement on 6 February, setting out a timetable for implementing the legislation, which was introduced by the previous, Conservative, government after the uproar sparked by the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020.
The toddler died from a severe respiratory condition resulting from prolonged exposure to mould in his Rochdale social rented flat.
Under the timetable set out by Rayner, social landlords will be required, from October this year and within fixed timescales, to address damp and mould that presents a significant risk of harm to tenants. From the same date, they will also have to address emergency repairs within 24 hours.
From 2026, landlords will have to address a wider range of hazards beyond damp and mould. These are expected to include: excess cold and excess heat; falls; structural collapse; fire, electrical and explosions; and hygiene hazards.
Then, in 2027, Awaab’s Law will apply to the remaining hazards defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, excluding overcrowding.
Rayner also pledged to consult in the coming months on a new Decent Homes Standard and legislation to require social landlords to carry out electrical safety checks at least every five years, as well as undertake mandatory inspections of all electrical appliances they provide.
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said the sector was ‘committed to ensuring the failures that led to the tragic death of Awaab Ishak never happen again, and that all homes are free from serious hazards’.
However, she said housing associations were facing ‘unprecedented financial pressures’, and issues such as overcrowding, which contribute to damp and mould, ‘can only be solved through funding for new social homes’.
