A tenant’s report of damp, mould or another potentially serious hazard needs a clear response: an assessment of the risk, appropriate action and communication about what happens next. The government’s plans to extend Awaab’s Law to England’s private rented sector bring that responsibility into sharper focus.
Awaab’s Law is named in memory of Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died following prolonged exposure to mould in his home. The law introduced fixed timescales for social landlords to investigate and address certain hazards, with its first requirements taking effect in October 2025. Its purpose is to ensure that serious concerns about a tenant’s living conditions receive timely action.[1][2]
A consultation published on 9 October 2026 now seeks views on how the requirements should work for private landlords and their tenants. The extension is provided for in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, but regulations are still needed to establish the detailed requirements. The proposed private-sector deadlines should not be confused with rules already operating in social housing.[1]
For landlords, this is a useful moment to review how concerns are reported, investigated and resolved. For tenants, the proposals concern something fundamental: being able to raise a concern about their home and receive an effective response.
There is no need to wait for the new regulations before taking damp and mould seriously. Private landlords already have legal duties concerning repairs and keeping rented homes fit for human habitation. Depending on its cause and severity, damp or mould can engage those duties. Government guidance also sets out how landlords should investigate and address these problems.[2][3]
This resource explains the distinction between what is changing and what landlords should be doing now, with practical steps for responding to a report and checking that the underlying problem has been addressed.
What are private landlords already responsible for?
For most private residential tenancies in England, landlords already have duties to keep the property in repair and fit for human habitation. Damp and mould can engage either or both responsibilities, depending on the cause and the effect on living conditions.
Repairing the property: landlords are generally responsible for the structure and exterior, along with installations for water, sanitation, heating and hot water. A leaking roof, defective pipework or broken heating system may therefore require repairs under existing obligations.[4]
Keeping the home fit to live in: the responsibility goes beyond fixing something that has broken. Serious damp or mould may make a home unfit for human habitation, including where the problem is not caused by an obvious repair defect. The condition of the property and the risks it presents need to be assessed.[3]
Responding within a reasonable time: once aware of a problem for which they are responsible, landlords must address it within a reasonable period. What is reasonable depends on the circumstances, including the seriousness and urgency of the hazard. It does not mean that every problem can wait for a routine maintenance visit.[3]
Government guidance advises landlords to establish the source of damp and mould and carry out appropriate remedial work. Significant damp and mould, or concerns about a tenant’s health, call for an urgent response.[2]
The proposed extension of Awaab’s Law would build on these responsibilities by setting more specific requirements for how serious hazards are investigated and addressed.
What would Awaab’s Law change for private landlords?
The extension would introduce specific requirements for investigating and addressing serious hazards within set timescales. The consultation considers how quickly landlords should act, who should investigate, what tenants should receive in writing and what should happen if a home cannot be made safe in time.
The existing social housing rules provide a starting point for that discussion. In that framework, a significant hazard poses a significant risk of harm to an occupant’s health or safety. An emergency hazard poses an imminent and significant risk. The assessment takes account of the people living in the home, including circumstances that could make them more vulnerable. The consultation asks whether the same thresholds should apply in the private rented sector.[1]
The social housing rules include a 10-working-day investigation period, starting when the landlord becomes aware of a potential significant hazard. Where the investigation identifies a significant hazard covered by those rules, the landlord then has five working days from the investigation concluding to make it safe. Potential emergency hazards require investigation and action to make safe as soon as practicable, within a maximum of 24 hours.[1]
These are not confirmed deadlines for private landlords. The consultation asks whether the same approach, different timescales or different investigation arrangements would work best in the private rented sector. Nor should maximum periods be read as a reason to postpone action where a risk requires a faster response.
The starting date is also being considered. The consultation identifies 2027 as the earliest feasible implementation date, rather than a confirmed commencement date, and asks whether the requirements should be introduced in phases.[1]
For landlords, the practical preparation is to ensure that a reported concern can move promptly from first contact to assessment, action and follow-up, with clear responsibility at each stage.
Landlords and tenants can share their views through the government consultation, which closes at 11.59pm on 18 December 2026.[1]
How should you respond when a tenant reports a problem?
Begin by acknowledging the report and establishing what is happening. Ask where the damp or mould is appearing, how extensive it is, whether it is recurring and whether there are signs of a leak or another defect. Photographs can help, but should not become a barrier to arranging an assessment.
Consider who lives in the property and whether anyone may be particularly vulnerable, including children, older people or someone with an existing health condition. Do not wait for medical evidence before taking action. Government guidance expressly advises against delaying a response while awaiting medical evidence or opinion.[2]
Arrange an investigation appropriate to the problem and the risk. A landlord or agent may be able to identify a straightforward issue, while uncertainty about the cause or the work required may call for a suitably qualified specialist.
Tell the tenant who will contact them, what the next step is and when they should expect an update. Record the report, your assessment, access arrangements and action taken.
A clear response should give the tenant confidence that their concern is being taken seriously, while ensuring that an urgent problem reaches someone able to act.
Address the cause, then check that the solution has worked
Removing visible mould may be necessary, but it does not establish that the problem has been resolved. The investigation should identify why moisture is accumulating and what needs to change to prevent it returning.
Possible causes include leaks, building defects, inadequate ventilation and condensation. There may be more than one contributing factor. Normal activities such as cooking, bathing and drying laundry produce moisture, but should not simply be treated as the explanation for the problem. The investigation needs to consider whether the building, heating and ventilation adequately accommodate everyday occupation.[2]
An attractive exterior or a well-kept interior does not rule out a damp problem. In a converted period property, water entering through defective guttering or problems affecting adjoining walls, for example, may cause damage inside an individual flat. Resolving the issue may require investigation and work beyond the flat itself, involving the freeholder, building manager or neighbouring owner as appropriate.
Advice about heating or ventilation should be relevant to the home and the tenant’s circumstances, and should support the remedial work rather than replace it.
Agree what work will be carried out, who is responsible and how the tenant will be kept informed. Where temporary measures are needed to reduce an immediate risk, distinguish these from the further work required to address the underlying cause.
If the problem involves the building’s common parts or something managed by the freeholder or building manager, involve the responsible party promptly. Keep the tenant informed and continue pursuing the necessary action.[3]
Completion of the work should be followed by a check that it has been effective. Government guidance recommends inspecting the home at least six weeks after remedial work to check that damp and mould have not reappeared. If the problem returns, further investigation and action are needed. An earlier concern from the tenant should be assessed promptly rather than left until the planned follow-up.[2]
If you use a managing agent, make sure responsibilities are clear
An agent can coordinate reports, inspections and repairs, but the arrangement needs to work when a problem arises. Both landlord and tenant should know who to contact, including outside normal office hours.
Check what your management agreement allows the agent to authorise without referring back to you. A routine spending limit should not leave an urgent safety concern waiting in an inbox. Agree how urgent decisions will be escalated, who can approve necessary expenditure and what happens if you cannot be reached.
It is also worth checking how reports and contractor findings are recorded, how you receive updates and who follows up with the tenant after the work.
Appointing an agent does not remove the landlord’s underlying legal responsibilities. The consultation specifically recognises that landlords using agents would remain ultimately liable for meeting the proposed Awaab’s Law requirements, making clear arrangements between the parties important.[1]
For landlords managing the property themselves, the same practical questions apply: who can assess a problem, who can carry out urgent work and who can act if you are away or unavailable?
What can tenants do if a problem is not being resolved?
Report damp, mould or another concern to your landlord or managing agent promptly. Describe where it is, when you first noticed it and whether it is getting worse or has returned after previous work. Keep copies of messages, photographs and any responses.
If a conversation takes place by phone, a short written follow-up can help everyone understand what was reported and what action was agreed. Work with the landlord or agent to arrange access for inspections and repairs, and explain any circumstances that affect those arrangements.
If the response is inadequate, or you believe the home is unsafe, contact your council’s private sector housing or environmental health team. The council can assess housing hazards and consider enforcement action. Tenants may also have routes to court under existing repair and fitness legislation, for which independent housing or legal advice can help clarify the options.[3][4]
You do not need to wait for the proposed extension of Awaab’s Law to report a problem or seek help under existing protections.
A useful moment to review your arrangements
Consider what would happen if a tenant reported a serious problem today. Could they reach the right person? Would someone assess the urgency, arrange appropriate action and keep them informed? Would there be a follow-up to check that the problem had been resolved?
These are useful questions whether you own one rental property or several, and whether you manage them yourself or use an agent.
For tenants, the value of a clear process is practical: knowing that a concern has been heard, what will happen next and where to turn if the response is inadequate.
A prompt, effective response can protect tenants’ wellbeing while helping prevent a property problem from becoming more serious. Reviewing your arrangements now is a practical step while the new requirements are being developed.
One last thing…
A repair can be marked complete before the person living with the problem feels confident it has been resolved.
A follow-up conversation matters. Has the damp returned? Is the ventilation working as intended? Does the tenant know who to contact if they notice another change?
Good property management includes checking what happens after the contractor leaves.
Sources
Information checked on 28 October 2026. The resource concerns England.
- MHCLG: Extending Awaab’s Law to private rented tenancies and to licences, published 9 October 2026.
- Government guidance: Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, updated 1 April 2026.
- Government guidance for landlords: Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.
- GOV.UK: Private renting, repairs.