On October 27, 2025, a landmark piece of legislation known as Awaab’s Law comes into force across England, ushering in a new era of accountability and urgency for social housing landlords. The law’s introduction is a direct response to the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in 2020 from a severe respiratory illness caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his family’s Rochdale flat. His father, Faisal Ishak, had spent three years raising alarms about the mould, but his pleas went unanswered—a heartbreaking oversight that galvanized public outrage and political action.
The new law compels social landlords to act swiftly when tenants report hazards like damp and mould. Emergency hazards must be investigated and resolved within 24 hours, while significant issues must be addressed within 10 working days and fixed within five days of investigation. For the first time, tenants have the right to take legal action if landlords fail to comply with these strict timelines, according to Sky News. The government has also pledged that, by 2027, Awaab’s Law will cover all remaining health and safety hazards, with plans to eventually extend these protections to the private rented sector.
Awaab’s story is a sobering reminder of how deadly poor housing conditions can be. The Manchester North senior coroner concluded that ineffective ventilation in the family’s one-bedroom flat was a key factor in the tragedy. During the inquest, it was revealed that fungus was found in the boy’s blood and lungs, with such severe inflammation that his official cause of death was listed as “environmental mould pollution.” The housing provider, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, faced severe consequences: it was stripped of funding, and its chief executive was dismissed after earning £170,000 in the year of Awaab’s death.
For many, the law’s passage is bittersweet. “It was really hard for me. I lost my first child suddenly—it was really hard. We were very angry but couldn’t do anything about it. We didn’t get help. They have to learn from our case,” Faisal Ishak told Sky News. He expressed gratitude that, while nothing could bring Awaab back, the law might protect others from the same fate.
The urgency of Awaab’s Law is underscored by the scale of the problem. Research by Zehnder Group UK, an indoor air quality specialist, found that a staggering 99.2% of UK landlords have mould problems in their housing stock. Even more alarming, a third of tenants reported mould in five or six rooms of their homes. Over half of tenants (54%) admitted to turning off extract fans in bathrooms and kitchens—often the only available ventilation—while blocked door undercuts and closed window vents further impede airflow. These findings suggest that the task ahead is enormous and complex.
Stuart Smith of Zehnder Group UK warns against “sticking plaster” solutions. “With the introduction of Awaab’s Law we predict there will be an influx of complaints raised across the social housing sector and with non-negotiable timelines for action there is a risk that landlords will seek a quick and obvious fix. But in doing so there is a danger of missing the root cause of the problem—when responding to a complaint, landlords need to make sure they know what they’re looking for,” Smith explained to LABM magazine. He highlighted that seemingly obvious sources, like a cracked window frame, may mask deeper issues related to insulation, ventilation, or even resident behavior. “Without effective ventilation to extract the moisture the problem will continue to come back.”
Education and collaboration are central themes in the push for safer homes. Smith stressed the need for landlords and tenants to work together, sharing knowledge about how to maintain a healthy indoor climate. “Too often, mould is washed off and then painted over but if the root cause isn’t tackled it just comes back. Creating open channels of communication between landlord and tenant, will help both sides understand more about the causes of condensation and mould and allow suggestions and action for change.”
Local authorities are already stepping up. Lambeth Council, for example, has spent the past six months preparing for Awaab’s Law by rolling out an extensive readiness program. The council has introduced a new Damp and Mould Policy and a Damp Charter, recruited additional specialists, and partnered with contractor Wates for inspections and preventative works. Training sessions for all frontline staff ensure that everyone—from housing officers to maintenance teams—understands their new responsibilities. According to Love Lambeth, Lambeth is already meeting its own target of treating damp and mould cases within 10 days, and now must investigate emergency hazards within 24 hours and act just as quickly.
The council’s approach is rooted in empathy and partnership. Its Damp Charter begins with a simple but powerful commitment: “It’s not your fault.” This language, recommended by the Housing Ombudsman, aims to avoid blaming residents and instead fosters a collaborative spirit. Accurate record keeping, swift reporting, and compassionate communication are now central to Lambeth’s compliance, with tenants kept informed at every step and provided with written summaries within three working days.
Nationally, the government and campaigners alike recognize that more work remains. A recent UK-wide survey conducted by Censuswide for the Health Equals campaign found that 23% of those with damp, mould, or condensation issues in their homes were social renters. Lower-income households are almost twice as likely to live in such conditions as their wealthier counterparts—21% compared to 12%. Paul McDonald, chief campaigns officer for Health Equals, described Awaab’s Law as “an important milestone,” but added, “our research also shows we need to go further.” Some campaigners, like Kirby Hoyle of the Greater Manchester Tenants Union, warn that the situation may even be getting worse, with families still coming forward whose children have been hospitalized by damp and mould.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed echoed the law’s life-or-death stakes: “Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death. Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.”
Awaab’s Law is not a static document. It will evolve, incorporating all requirements set out by the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS), and increasing landlords’ responsibility for tenant health and wellbeing. The scale of the challenge is daunting—around two million people live in social housing that needs urgent attention, making this one of the largest renovation efforts in the UK’s history. Yet, as Stuart Smith put it, “Landlords shouldn’t feel alone in the task ahead. A collaborative effort is what is needed for success.”
As the clock starts ticking for landlords across England, Awaab’s Law stands as both a tribute to a lost child and a rallying call for lasting change. Its success will hinge on a commitment to root out the causes of poor housing, not just the visible symptoms, and to ensure that no family ever again faces the tragedy endured by the Ishaks.
