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Will Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords?.

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 gives the government the power to apply Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies, but nothing is decided. A consultation published on 9 October 2026 asks how, and closes at 11:59pm on 18 December 2026. It gives 2027 as the earliest feasible start and sets out options, not final requirements.

5 minute readAdded 22 October 2026Last updated 22 October 2026Zaviira editorial review. Not a legal review.

This page is about private landlords. Social landlords already have duties under the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. Phase 2 of those is due to start on 30 November 2026, subject to the Regulations being made. See the Phase 2 hub.

What the consultation is

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 gives the government powers to apply Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies (section 60) and to accommodation occupied under a licence (section 61). The consultation asks how to use them. It says it will use the social housing requirements as a starting point.

It has three parts. Part 1 covers private rented tenancies. Part 2 covers certain accommodation occupied under licence: supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households, and care leaver accommodation. Part 3 covers the impacts and costs.

What is proposed

The consultation sets out options. Each of these is a question put to respondents, not a decision.

Hazards. It says there is a case for the same approach as in social housing, which would include all hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System except overcrowding, in phases. It also says there is a strong case for applying Awaab’s Law only to hazards that pose a significant risk of harm, and a case for it being triggered by either significant hazards or emergency hazards, as in social housing.
Phasing. It says that if the start is phased, there is a strong case for starting with damp and mould and all emergency hazards, as in the social sector.
Alternative accommodation. It says that requiring private landlords to offer it when they cannot make a home safe in time is likely to be highly challenging, and that it raises concerns about feasibility. It also sets out the case for it, calls it a challenging and contentious element, and asks for views.
Enforcement. It says Awaab’s Law would be added to tenancy agreements as an implied term. A tenant could then take a landlord to court for breach of contract, or complain to the landlord and then to the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman. It expects private landlords to be required to join that Ombudsman in 2028.

The timescales it asks about are these. The social housing timescale is shown in the first column for comparison.

Investigation of a significant hazard: Social housing: 10 working days. The consultation asks whether private landlords should have 5, 10 or 15 working days.
Written summary after an investigation: Social housing: 3 working days. The consultation asks about 1, 3 or 5 working days.
Making a significant hazard safe: Social housing: 5 working days. The consultation asks about 3, 5 or 10 working days.
Starting further works to prevent recurrence: Social housing: 5 working days. The consultation asks about 3, 5 or 10 working days.
Emergency hazards: Social housing: 24 hours. The consultation asks about 12, 24 or 48 hours.

What is not yet known

Which hazards will be covered, and how severe a hazard must be.
The timescales, and whether private landlords will be treated differently from social landlords.
Whether private landlords will have to provide alternative accommodation.
Whether the start will be phased, and which hazards would come first.
The start date. The consultation says the earliest feasible date would be 2027, and balances that against giving landlords and agents time to prepare. It asks for views on the right timescale.
The government’s response. The consultation says it will be published in due course.

The impact assessment assumes, for modelling only, a phased introduction with Phase 1 in 2028, Phase 2 in 2029 and Phase 3 in 2030. It says no decision has been taken on the approach and that this will be decided after the consultation. It is an assumption to cost the proposals. It is not a timetable.

Who it may affect

Tenants. The consultation says there are around 11 million renters living in 4.7 million households in the private rented sector in England, which is 19% of all households. The English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025 gives the same household figures.
Private landlords. The consultation says there are at least 2.3 million landlords in England. It says 94% let property as a private individual and 82% own fewer than 5 rental properties. The impact assessment says the 2.3 million figure comes from HMRC data for 2019 to 2020.
Agents. The consultation says 18% of private landlords use an agent for management services and 46% for letting services. It says that because Awaab’s Law would be an implied term in the tenancy, the landlord would remain ultimately liable, and may need new contractual arrangements with an agent.
Licensors. Landlords and providers of supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and care leaver accommodation, under Part 2.

How to respond

The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 18 December 2026. It can be answered in three ways.

Online, through the survey linked from the consultation page (opens in a new tab). The consultation asks for responses online where possible.
By email to awaabslawconsultation@communities.gov.uk.
By post to Awaab’s Law Consultation, Private Rented Sector Strategy, Security & Standards Division, Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 3rd Floor, Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.

What landlords can do now

None of this is a requirement yet. These are things a landlord may find useful whatever is decided.

Respond. The consultation asks landlords, agents and licensors for evidence, including whether they already act within the social housing timescales.
Check your own records. Look at whether you could show, for a repair you handled, when you were told about it, when it was investigated and when it was fixed. The checklist for a good repair record sets out what may help.
Read the existing rules. The clock on one page shows the timescales that apply to social landlords today.
Look at your agent arrangements. If an agent handles repairs, consider what the contract says about who records what, and how fast.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Check the consultation itself before relying on any statement here.

What has changed in Awaab’s Law, and what is coming?

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Check the primary source before relying on any statement, and take advice from a housing lawyer on your own position. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.

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