Date Published 19 September 2025
No-one should be forced to live in a home that is unsafe. Following the tragic and avoidable death of 2-year old Awaab Ishak due to prolonged exposure to mould in his social rented home, the Manchester Evening News, Shelter and the Ishak family led a campaign for ‘Awaab's Law'. This was introduced for social housing through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.
The Renters' Rights Bill will now extend Awaab's Law to privately rented homes. This will ensure that all renters in England are empowered to challenge dangerous conditions and that all landlords must take swift action to make sure homes are safe.
The measures in the bill will allow new requirements to be set requiring private rented sector landlords to address hazards, such as damp and mould, within a specified time period. If landlords do not comply, tenants will be able to bring enforcement action against them through the courts.
Frequently asked questions
How will Awaab's Law be enforced in the private rented sector?
In line with the approach taken for social housing, Awaab's Law will imply terms into private rented sector tenancy agreements. This means all private landlords will have to meet Awaab's Law requirements – for example, on timescales for dealing with hazards such as damp and mould – when these are set out in regulations.
If landlords fail to comply, tenants will be able to challenge them through the court for breach of contract. If the court finds the landlord in breach, they will be able to order the landlord to take appropriate action and/or pay compensation.
Seeking redress through the courts is not the only way that residents can challenge their landlords for breaches of Awaab's Law. Tenants may wish to complain to their landlord and, if they are not satisfied with the response, this could then be escalated to the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman.
What timescales will be set for private landlords to carry out repairs? Will these be the same as for social housing?
Everyone deserves a home that is safe, decent and secure, so it is only right that Awaab's Law protections should be in place for renters regardless of whether their homes are privately or socially rented.
We recognise that there are differences between the private and social rented sectors. We will carefully consider how best to apply Awaab's Law to the private rented sector in a way that is fair, proportionate and effective for both tenants and landlords, and will consult on this. We will set out further detail on our plans in due course.
Credit- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill
