Updated 12 November 2026, with every source rechecked
Awaab's Law explained: deadlines for fixing damp and mould
Awaab's Law gives social housing tenants in England legal deadlines for damp and mould repairs. This guide sets out the rules as they stand in November 2026, where the private renting extension has got to, and what Oxford tenants and landlords can do now.
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Who was Awaab Ishak, and what did the coroner find?
Awaab Ishak was a two-year-old boy who died on 21 December 2020, and the coroner found his death was due to mould exposure. The coroner's Prevention of Future Deaths report describes a severe swelling and inflammation of his airways brought on by mould in his surroundings. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing is named in the report as the landlord.
Manchester North's senior coroner concluded the investigation on 15 November 2022. The report's concerns included that the 2006 "A Decent Home" guidance "does not give any consideration to the issue of damp and mould", and that the HHSRS damp and mould data sheet "is not reflective of the current known risks".
Government health guidance now says damp and mould "primarily affect the airways and lungs", and says it is totally unreasonable to blame them on tenants' "lifestyle choices".
What deadlines does Awaab's Law set for social landlords?
Since 27 October 2025, social landlords in England must investigate a significant damp and mould hazard within 10 working days, and deal with an emergency hazard within 24 hours. According to the government guidance on timeframes for social landlords, Phase 1 applies to every emergency hazard, plus any damp and mould hazard that carries a significant risk of harm to tenants.
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Emergency hazard: investigate and carry out safety work | Within 24 hours |
| Significant hazard: investigate | Within 10 working days |
| Tell the tenant the findings in writing | 3 working days after the investigation concludes |
| Make the home safe | 5 working days after the investigation concludes |
| Further work to stop it coming back | Start within 5 working days; where that cannot be done, as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 12 weeks |
The guidance also rules out putting damp and mould down to how tenants live: everyday cooking, bathing and drying laundry are no reason to avoid action.
Most social housing tenants who hold a tenancy agreement are covered, says the guidance for social housing tenants. If a landlord fails, tenants can use its complaints process, then the free Housing Ombudsman, or the courts.
What is Awaab's Law Phase 2, due on 30 November 2026?
Phase 2 is due to start on 30 November 2026 and extends the same approach in social housing to other serious hazards. The Phase 2 guidance lists falls, excess cold and excess heat, electrical hazards, fire and explosions, structural collapse, domestic hygiene, and every emergency hazard except overcrowding, in each case where the risk of harm is significant.
Damp and mould stay covered under Phase 1. The Phase 2 guidance does not list any change to the damp and mould timescales.
The government press release of 8 October 2026 said: "Subject to parliamentary approval, phase 2 comes into force on 30 November 2026." Parliament's procedure record shows the House of Lords approved the draft regulations on 14 October 2026 and the House of Commons on 20 October 2026.
Is Awaab's Law in force for private tenants yet?
No. On 12 November 2026, Awaab's Law does not apply to private rented homes; extending it is proposed and under consultation. The government consultation opened on 9 October 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on 18 December 2026. It says "Awaab's Law will be extended to cover private rented sector tenancies" under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, but gives no timescales or start date.
The provision that carries the change, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (section 60), is shown as prospective and not in force, with no commencement date. The government's roadmap for the Act lists Awaab's Law in private renting as still to be confirmed, subject to consultation.
Further out, the new Decent Homes Standard will apply from 2035 to social and private rented homes. Its criterion E requires homes to be free from damp and mould, and a home fails it if a damp and mould hazard is assessed anywhere from bands A to H.
Does every rented home in Oxford need a licence, and how do tenants report damp?
Yes. Oxford City Council states that "All privately rented homes in Oxford must be licensed". Selective licensing covers rented homes that are not shared houses from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2027, and a new city-wide licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) came into force on 25 June 2026 for five years.
The Year 3 progress report counts 1,092 inspections since the scheme began in September 2022: 75% of homes inspected had at least one hazard, 31% had a Category 1 hazard, damp and mould was found in 424 properties and excess cold in 375.
In July 2026 a Headington landlord was fined £23,138 at Reading Magistrates' Court for an unlicensed rental and failing to comply with a Prohibition Order, after inspectors found "severe damp & mould".
For private and housing association tenants, the council's reporting steps are: tell the landlord in writing, keep evidence and allow 14 days. If nothing happens, report it to the council's Residential Regulation Team (rrt@oxford.gov.uk or 01865 252211). The council may inspect and serve an improvement notice.
How is Oxford City Council meeting Awaab's Law in its own homes?
The council owned nearly 7,900 homes in 2022/23, and its Council Housing Damp and Mould Policy follows "Awaab's Law timeframes": emergencies investigated within 24 hours, significant hazards within 10 working days, and written findings within 3 working days, handled by the council's damp and mould team.
The council's 2026 performance figures show it is not yet meeting its own target. Significant hazards investigated within 10 working days rose from 16.3% in January to 83.3% in July, against a 100% target. In the week ending 8 May 2026 there were 662 damp and mould jobs in progress, 224 of them older than 12 weeks.
The council has also called for Awaab's Law to be extended to all rented homes, and for damp and mould to be treatable as Category 1 hazards. Council tenants cannot use the council's enforcement route against their own landlord, Shelter notes, so their routes are the complaints process and then the Housing Ombudsman or the courts.
What should a landlord do about damp and mould now?
Find the cause, fix it, and keep a written record, whether or not Awaab's Law applies to you yet. Under section 11 of the 1985 Landlord and Tenant Act, landlords must keep the structure and exterior in repair "(including drains, gutters and external pipes)", plus heating and hot water installations. Shelter explains that the 2018 Act on fitness for human habitation requires a home to be fit "on the day it is let and throughout the tenancy", with freedom from damp as one factor, and that condensation can be the landlord's job where an unfixed repair or poor ventilation causes it.
Councils judge hazards using the HHSRS, their hazard rating system: revised regulations in force from 23 June 2026 cut the hazards from 29 to 21, and damp and mould growth is one of them. Ignoring an improvement notice can bring a civil penalty of up to £40,000 for offences from 1 May 2026.
Diagnosis comes first. In England in 2024, serious condensation and mould was the commonest damp (3% of homes), then penetrating damp (2%) and rising damp (1%). Government guidance warns that cleaning off surface mould alone will not stop it returning.
On a damp survey for a rented home, Oxford Damp Specialists checks gutters, pointing and ground levels outside, then humidity, fans and heating room by room, and puts the cause and fix in writing. See also condensation and mould and condensation in a bedroom. Keep dated notes and photos of each report, visit and repair. Oxford Damp Specialists covers damp proofing in Oxford for owners, landlords and tenants.
Common questions
Are private tenants in Oxford covered by Awaab's Law?
Not yet. Extending it to private renting is under consultation until 18 December 2026, with no start date. Oxford tenants can already report damp to the council after giving the landlord 14 days.
How long does a housing association have to look into damp and mould?
Within 10 working days for a significant hazard and within 24 hours for an emergency, and the tenant must get the findings in writing 3 working days after the investigation concludes.
Is it fair for a landlord to blame mould on drying clothes indoors?
No. Government guidance tells social landlords not to put damp and mould down to how tenants live; everyday cooking, bathing and drying laundry are no reason to avoid action. A damp survey finds the real cause.
Who is responsible for paying to fix damp in a rented home?
Where damp comes from something the landlord must keep in repair, such as the roof, gutters or pipes, the landlord pays. Condensation can also be the landlord's responsibility where an unfixed repair or poor ventilation causes it.
Sources for this page
- Awaab Ishak, Prevention of Future Deaths report 2022-0365. Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, Nov 2022
- Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home. GOV.UK (OHID/DHSC, MHCLG, UKHSA), 7 Sep 2023, updated 1 Apr 2026
- Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords, timeframes for repairs. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 17 Oct 2025, updated 16 Jul 2026
- Awaab's Law: guidance for tenants in social housing. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 27 Oct 2025, updated 4 Dec 2025
- Awaab's Law Phase 2: guidance for social landlords. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 31 Jul 2026
- Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 8 Oct 2026
- SI procedure record, Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. UK Parliament, steps to 20 Oct 2026
- Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences, consultation. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 9 Oct 2026; closes 18 Dec 2026
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, s.60. legislation.gov.uk, prospective
- Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025: roadmap. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 13 Nov 2025; metadata updated 20 Oct 2026
- The New Decent Homes Standard: policy statement. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 28 Jan 2026
- Report damp and mould in a private rented or housing association home. Oxford City Council, page dated 16 Jul 2026
- Selective licensing background information. Oxford City Council, page dated 1 Dec 2023
- Additional Licensing. Oxford City Council, (HMOs), updated 2026
- Selective Licensing Scheme 2022 – Year 3 progress report. Oxford City Council, (Sep 2024–Aug 2025), page dated 7 Apr 2026
- £23k fine for Oxford landlord after non-compliance with a prohibition order on an unlicensed property. Oxford City Council news, 31 Jul 2026
- Council publishes annual housing report. Oxford City Council news, (Tenant and Leaseholder Annual Report 2023), undated on page
- Council Housing Damp and Mould Policy. Oxford City Council, page dated 8 Dec 2025
- Council housing service performance 2026 – Damp and mould. Oxford City Council, page dated 29 Jun 2026 (data to Jul 2026)
- Extend Awaab's law to all rented homes. Oxford City Council news, undated on page
- Damp and mould problems. Shelter England, updated 23 Jun 2026
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11. legislation.gov.uk, revised
- Revised HHSRS in force from 23 June 2026. Bevan Brittan, 5 Aug 2026
- Understanding dampness: from symptoms to sources, Prof Mike Parrett. RICS Built Environment Journal, 5 Nov 2026
- Landlord and agent guide to the HHSRS. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 23 Jun 2026, updated 16 Sep 2026
- English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025, Chapter 1: housing quality. GOV.UK (MHCLG), published 29 Jan 2026
Before you call
A few details let us narrow down the likely cause on the phone.
- Postcode and the rough age of the building
- Which rooms and walls, and how far up
- Whether wet weather or cold snaps change it
- Where any mould is growing
- Owner, tenant or buyer, and any deadline
Want someone to look at it? Our damp proofing in Oxford page sets out what we survey, what we repair and where we work.
The work this guide touches on
Condensation and mould
Black mould behind the wardrobe is a symptom: we trace the cold surface, the weak extract fan and the humidity feeding it.
Damp surveys
Before you exchange, accept a retention or agree to injection work, find out where the water in that Oxford wall is really coming from.
Other guides
How much does damp proofing cost?
Damp proofing prices swing from a modest survey fee to thousands for a new damp course, and the right diagnosis decides which one you pay.
What does woodworm treatment cost?
Those tiny round holes in your floorboards may be decades old, so prove the beetles are alive before paying anyone to spray.
What does basement tanking cost?
Oxford's water table sits close beneath many cellars, so a tanking bill turns on where water comes from and how dry the room must be.
Why is there condensation in my bedroom?
Wet glass at dawn and black spots behind the wardrobe: why bedrooms condense worst, and the heating and airflow changes that stop it.
Dry rot or wet rot: how do you tell them apart?
Strands creeping over brickwork or a soft joist end: how to read the signs of rot, and why the water decides the repair.
Damp in old and listed buildings: what is safe to do?
Stone, soft brick and lime walls need to dry out, and the wrong fix, or work done without consent, can leave an Oxford house damper.
Shall we call you instead?
Your name, number and the property postcode are all we need. A sentence about the room and the wall makes the first call quicker. Or ring 01865 537413.