Awaab's Law is one of the biggest changes to social housing in England in years. From 27 October 2025, social landlords must investigate and fix dangerous hazards within fixed legal deadlines — starting with emergencies and with damp and mould, and expanding to fire and electrical hazards in 2026.
This guide sets out what the law actually is, the timeframes it imposes, exactly who it applies to, and what the 2026 electrical phase means for landlords managing homes across Mid Somerset.
What Awaab's Law Actually Is
The Legislation at a Glance
Awaab's Law is set out in the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, made under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It came into force for the social rented sector on 27 October 2025. It works by implying a term into social housing tenancy agreements — so a tenant can take their landlord to court for breach of contract if the timeframes are missed.
The law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his social housing home. His parents had complained to their landlord repeatedly over three years, but the mould was never treated. Awaab's Law is designed as a legal backstop for exactly those cases — where a landlord fails to act quickly enough and a tenant is left at risk.
In its first phase, Awaab's Law requires social landlords to address all emergency hazards and all damp and mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm, within set timeframes.
The Repair Timeframes
The deadlines depend on whether a hazard is judged an emergency or a significant hazard. The clock starts on "day zero" — the moment the landlord becomes aware of a potential hazard.
| Stage | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Emergency hazard — investigate and make safe | Within 24 hours of becoming aware |
| Significant hazard — investigate | Within 10 working days |
| Written summary of findings to the tenant | Within 3 working days of the investigation concluding |
| Safety work (where a significant hazard is found) | Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding |
| Preventative work to stop it recurring | Begin within 5 working days, or if not possible, physically start within 12 weeks |
If the home cannot be made safe within the required time, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation until the hazard is fully resolved. Accurate records of every report, investigation and communication are central to demonstrating compliance.
Manage social housing in Mid Somerset?
We help landlords stay ahead of the timeframes with fast EICRs, certified remedial work, and regulator-ready records. Covering Wells, Bath, Shepton Mallet, Frome and the surrounding area.
Who Awaab's Law Applies To
Awaab's Law applies to social landlords — councils and housing associations (registered providers of social housing). It does not apply to private rented sector landlords.
That does not leave private landlords off the hook on electrical safety. Under the separate Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, private landlords must already hold a valid EICR, renewed at least every five years, with any C1 or C2 faults remedied within 28 days. If you let privately, our guide to landlord EICR requirements covers what you need.
The Phased Rollout — Fire and Electrical Hazards Arrive in 2026
Awaab's Law is being introduced in stages. The Government has confirmed the following timeline:
- 2025 — emergency hazards, plus damp and mould.
- 2026 — extended to further hazards where they present a significant risk of harm: excess cold and excess heat; falls (baths, level surfaces, stairs, between levels); structural collapse and explosions; fire and electrical hazards; domestic and personal hygiene and food safety.
- 2027 — extended to all remaining HHSRS hazards, apart from overcrowding, where they present a significant risk of harm.
The phasing does not give landlords breathing space on dangerous issues in the meantime — social landlords must continue to keep homes fit for human habitation and free of dangerous Category 1 hazards under their existing duties and the Regulator of Social Housing's Safety and Quality standard.
What This Means for Electrical Safety
From 2026, an electrical fault judged to present a significant risk of harm will sit on the Awaab's Law clock — investigated within 10 working days and made safe within 5 working days of that investigation, with emergencies handled inside 24 hours. In practice, that puts a premium on three things:
- Knowing the condition of your stock before a tenant reports a fault — a current EICR on every property means hazards are identified on your schedule, not against the clock.
- Being able to mobilise remedial work quickly — once a significant electrical hazard is confirmed, the safety work has a five-working-day window.
- Clear, dated records — certificates and written confirmations you can put straight in front of the Regulator or the Housing Ombudsman.
Alongside Awaab's Law, the wiring regulations themselves are moving on. Amendment 4 (2026) to BS 7671:2018 — the 18th Edition — applies to new installation designs from 15 October 2026, introducing new requirements including chapters on stationary battery energy storage and Power over Ethernet (PoE). We work to the current edition as standard, so inspections, certificates and remedial work stay aligned with the latest version of the regulations.
How DS Electrical Helps Social Landlords Stay Ahead
We're a NAPIT-registered electrical contractor working across Mid Somerset. For landlords and housing providers, we offer:
- Full EICRs with clear, coded condition reports — priced per circuit, certificate issued the day of testing.
- Remedial work booked in and certified, with written sign-off you can hold on file.
- Fire and smoke/heat/CO alarm work to BS 5839 and the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm regulations.
- Records and certificates kept in a format you can show a regulator without hunting for paperwork.
If you manage social housing in Somerset and want your electrics in order before the 2026 phase lands, get in touch — we'll talk through your stock and put a plan together. Electrical installations, done properly.
This article is general information, not legal advice. The authoritative source is the gov.uk Awaab's Law guidance for social landlords and the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025. Always check the current regulations for your obligations.