Damp and mould in a rented flat: strict repair deadlines are coming to private landlords

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government opened a consultation on 8 October 2026 on how to extend Awaab's Law to private renters. This is the law that writes hard deadlines, counted in days, into a tenancy: how long a landlord has to investigate dangerous damp and mould and how long to put it right. For now it applies only to social housing. Once extended, the number of protected households would rise from about 4 million to around 9 million — England has 11 million private renters.

What exactly did the government decide on 8 October?

It has not set the new deadlines yet; it has asked how to set them. The consultation is open and closes on 18 December 2026, and the responses will shape both how the law works in the private sector and the date it takes effect. An options assessment of the likely impacts has been published alongside it, and the department is explicitly asking for further evidence. In other words, the decision of principle has been taken — Awaab's Law is coming to private renting — but the start date has not been named.

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Who else would be covered?

Not only people renting from a private landlord. The consultation also looks at three other types of accommodation: temporary accommodation for homeless people and families, housing for young people leaving care, and supported housing, where many older people, disabled people and other vulnerable tenants live. On the department's figures, extending the law across all of these would more than double the number of protected households, from 4 million to around 9 million.

What deadlines already apply in social housing?

Phase 1 of Awaab's Law has been in force since 31 October 2025 and covers emergency hazards plus damp and mould. An emergency hazard must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. Damp and mould presenting a significant risk to health must be investigated within 10 working days of the landlord finding out about it, with a further 3 working days to provide a written summary of what was found and what will be done. Work that makes the home safe must be completed within 5 working days of the investigation ending. If the landlord cannot meet the deadline, they must offer alternative accommodation for the whole household. Our guide sets out the timescales and a template letter: damp and mould in a rented home.

What changes on 30 November 2026?

Phase 2, subject to parliamentary approval, comes into force on 30 November 2026 and widens the list of hazards: electrical hazards, excess cold and falls join damp and mould. Phase 3 is planned for 2027 and will cover the remaining hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System where they present a significant risk of harm — all except overcrowding, which is handled separately. The HHSRS itself was recently updated for the first time in 20 years. All three phases currently apply to social housing; the private sector follows once this consultation concludes.

What can a private tenant do right now?

There is no need to wait for 2027. Landlords are already required to act on hazards assessed as significant: around one in 10 private rented homes in England has a category 1 hazard — the most serious level — which already triggers a duty to act. The Renters' Rights Act introduced fines of up to £7,000 this year for those serious dangers. The route is to put the problem to the landlord in writing first, so the date is on record, and then to go to the local council's environmental health team, which can carry out an HHSRS assessment and serve an improvement notice.

Can a tenant be evicted for complaining?

No, and that is the point Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook made: tenants should be able to raise issues without fearing repercussions. Eviction without a reason is now illegal, and above-market rent increases can be challenged in court. Our explainer covers the rest of the changes: the Renters' Rights Act. Holly Williamson, chief executive of Generation Rent, said in response to the consultation that renters often wait months for landlords to act, and the law should be brought in as soon as possible.

Where does Awaab's Law come from?

It is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to damp and mould in a social housing flat in Rochdale. The coroner found a direct link between the condition of the home and the child's death. The government then put repair deadlines into law, first for social landlords and now, in prospect, for private ones. Anyone can respond to the consultation: it is open on GOV.UK until 18 December 2026, and the department has asked specifically for tenants' experience, not just the industry's view.