What the Commons committee agreed on 19 October, in plain English.

Who and when

Committee

First Delegated Legislation Committee

Date

Monday 19 October 2026

Time

6.00pm to 6.23pm

Chair

Sir Desmond Swayne

Minister

Matthew Pennycook, Minister for Housing and Planning

Business

The draft Electrical Safety Standards amendments, taken with the draft Hazards in Social Housing amendments (Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law)

The result

The committee agreed a motion for each draft. The motion was that the committee had considered the draft. Hansard records no division.

That is not the same as the Commons approving the draft. The Parliament procedure browser lists a government motion to approve the Phase 2 draft in the Commons. The sources checked do not say when that will be.

The House of Lords approved both drafts on 14 October 2026, after considering them in Grand Committee on 13 October.

What the Minister said

He spoke to both sets of draft Regulations. In his words, the hazards draft is “commonly referred to as phase 2 of Awaab’s law”.

• The hazards added. Excess cold and excess heat, falls, structural collapse and falling elements, fire and explosions, electrical safety and hygiene.
• Not new duties. He said Awaab’s Law does not introduce new obligations for new hazards. Landlords already had to keep homes fit for human habitation and remedy disrepair. The Regulations add set timescales and a route to enforcement.
• Two changes from Phase 1. The meaning of “emergency” and “significant” hazard is clearer. Fire risks in communal areas covered by existing fire safety rules are managed under those rules, not Awaab’s Law.
• The timescales. Investigate a potential significant hazard within 10 working days. Send the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation concluding. Take action within 5 working days. Investigate and make an emergency hazard safe within 24 hours. These match regulations 5, 6, 9 and 11 of the 2025 Regulations.
• If the home cannot be made safe in time. The landlord must secure suitable alternative accommodation. Work to stop the hazard coming back must begin as quickly as possible and no later than 12 weeks from the investigation, and be completed in a reasonable time.
• If a landlord does not comply. Tenants can take legal action through the courts for breach of contract, or seek redress through the Housing Ombudsman. A landlord has a defence if it proves it used all reasonable endeavours.
• Phase 3. Next year the requirements will expand to the remaining hazards defined by the HHSRS, except overcrowding, with the same “test and learn” approach.
• Timing and communication. Before the Regulations come into force in November he will write to all social landlords in England. The “Make Things Right” information campaign for tenants launches in January.

What MPs raised

Gareth Bacon, Conservative, speaking for the Opposition

• On electrical safety: who monitors the standards during transitional periods, and what local government reorganisation means for that. He also asked what is planned for tenants’ compliance as well as landlords’.
• On the hazards draft: cost and time. He referred to concerns from the National Housing Federation and Homeless Link, and to an impact assessment estimate of a £213.6 million increase in costs. He said that figure covers only administrative costs. He asked the Minister to commit to working closely with the sector.

Sam Carling, Labour

• He supported the expansion. He then read from a briefing from Shelter. It says the definition of significant risk of harm (15 working days, but not within 24 hours) could put tenants at risk where a home has no quick fix. Its example is a structural collapse hazard with no temporary fix. It says a landlord could then argue the hazard is out of scope, and the tenant could lose the right to suitable alternative accommodation. He asked the Minister to write to Shelter.
• This is Shelter’s view as read to the committee. It is recorded here as a point raised.

Gideon Amos, Liberal Democrat

• He supported the draft Regulations and said he is a social landlord. He asked whether overcrowding had been considered for inclusion.

The Minister’s answers

• Who enforces electrical safety. Local councils. If a council has reasonable grounds to believe a landlord is in breach, it must serve a remedial notice. If the landlord does not comply, or urgent action is needed, the council may arrange the remedial action itself. On local government reorganisation, he said he did not immediately see the link and invited evidence in writing.
• Hazards caused by the tenant. He said it is unacceptable for landlords to assume a hazard such as damp, mould or pests comes from a tenant’s lifestyle. Landlords should find and fix underlying causes. They can still work with tenants on small, reasonable changes where that is appropriate.
• Cost. He said the approach is proportionate and phased so landlords have time to adjust. He gave estimates from the impact assessment of £146.3 million over a 10 year appraisal period for Phase 1 and £190.2 million over 10 years for Phase 2. He said the costs are likely to come from extra staffing, familiarisation and written summaries, and that the duty to repair is not a new burden.
• Shelter’s concern. He said landlords and tenants found it hard to tell an emergency from a significant hazard in Phase 1. The old wording asked whether a landlord would “take steps to” act “as a matter of urgency”. It is replaced by 24 hours for an emergency hazard and 15 working days for a significant one. He said 15 working days matches the 10 working days to investigate plus 5 to make safe. He described the test as objective and said landlords should not factor in their own budget or staff availability. He said Shelter also raised fire hazards in communal areas, and that the Government will respond to Shelter in full on both points and is happy to share the response.
• Overcrowding. He said Awaab’s Law is meant for hazards that come from defects, disrepair or lack of maintenance. Overcrowding is complex and not usually the result of disrepair, so it was left out. Landlords are still expected to deal with it through transfer and allocation policies. Tenants can seek redress through the Housing Ombudsman, and housing association tenants can report overcrowding to their council.

What happens next

• The Commons. The draft has to be approved by the Commons. The sources checked give no date.
• Making the Regulations. As at 20 October 2026 legislation.gov.uk shows the Phase 2 draft as not made. The draft says it comes into force on 30 November 2026. The Minister said “in November”.
• The letter and the campaign. The Minister’s letter to social landlords is promised before the Regulations come into force. The “Make Things Right” campaign launches in January.
• Shelter. The Government has said it will respond to Shelter. No response had been published in the sources checked.
• This page. It will be updated when the Commons votes or the Regulations are made. See the status of the amending Regulations and the Phase 2 hub.

Hansard extracts and paraphrases: Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0 (opens in a new tab).

Sources

1. Hansard: First Delegated Legislation Committee, 19 October 2026
2. Hansard: Lords Grand Committee, 13 October 2026
3. Hansard: Lords, motions to approve, 14 October 2026
4. Draft Hazards in Social Housing amending Regulations 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)
5. Draft Electrical Safety Standards amending Regulations 2026 (legislation.gov.uk)
6. Regulations as they will apply from 30 November 2026 (GOV.UK PDF)
7. UK Parliament procedure browser: the Phase 2 draft
8. Awaab’s Law Phase 2 final stage impact assessment (GOV.UK)

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 20 October 2026.