Will Awaab’s Law help? Caseworker Calls for Harsher Measures
Awaab’s Law came into effect on 27 October 2025 and is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who tragically lost his life to prolonged mould exposure in his rented Rochdale home. Despite new legal pressures on social housing landlords, Caseworker Kirby Hoyle remains sceptical of its lasting impact.
Greater Manchester Tenants Union Caseworker, Kirby Hoyle, has acknowledged that Awaab’s law is the first step needed for change, however, remains sceptical in its overall effectiveness.
In an interview with ITV News, she said: “Do I think it will help? No, I don't…I was dealing with members coming in who have damp and mould - only a week before it was coming into force.” Despite plenty of warning, landlords continue to fail to meet the requirements of Awaab’s Law, with many tenants still facing long wait periods for complaints to be actioned.
Persistent complaint issues
In one case, Rebecca Rawlinson from Middleton began reporting damp and mould problems in her home in 2018 and subsequently developed skin conditions and breathing issues. After waiting a significant amount of time Rebecca said “I complained and the house has been partially fixed, they didn't touch the house for four months after we were moved out - what it came down to was an argument of whether he was actually going to fix the house, whether it was worth the money to fix the house.”
When her housing provider actioned the complaint, only downstairs was fixed, ignoring the mould upstairs and in her baby’s room and little consideration was given to materials used as they put a “mould riddled” skirting board and old kitchen back where it was.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law, which was passed in 2023 as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 is named after Awaab Ishak, a two year old boy who tragically lost his life in 2020 due to prolonged mould exposure from his rented Rochdale home.
Awaab’s case sparked public outrage at the conditions social housing tenants were forced to live in due to ignored complaints and patch up jobs carried out by their social housing landlords. Awaab’s case eventually led to the passing of his law which aims to protect social housing tenants from dangerous living conditions by posing strict timeframes on to landlords regarding complaints of damp and mould and other serious hazards.
Awaab’s Law was enacted on 27th October 2025 and will be gradually phased in over the next two years. Here is what tenants and landlords should expect:
Landlords and tenants should be aware of the following milestones:
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October 2025: Landlords must address damp and mould hazards in a fixed timescale and perform emergency repairs, including those linked to damp and mould, within 24 hours.
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2026: Initial requirements will be extended to include other serious hazards, such as excess cold and heat, structural issues, fire, electrical problems, and hygiene hazards.
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2027: The Law will be extended to include all remaining hazards defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), excluding overcrowding.
What if my complaints are still being ignored?
As a tenant, it is your right to have a safe home and you should be aware of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which both set out standards that landlords must meet by law. These Acts, as well as Awaab’s Law are designed to protect tenants from harmful living conditions. Because they are legally binding, it makes it easier to hold your landlord legally accountable through making a housing disrepair claim or taking your case to the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) .
HOS is an independent body responsible for resolving disputes between landlords and tenants in a fair way. Its mission is to ‘improve landlords’ services and residents’ lives through housing complaints.’
HOS can also help if you have followed the landlord’s complaint process and your landlord isn’t responding to the complaint you have made.
Premier Legal Assist are on hand to help
If you are living in disrepair, and reported issues such as mould, broken heating, electrical faults, infestations or structural issues, to your landlord and they have refused to act, or not acted within a reasonable timeframe, you may be entitled to make a claim for repairs and in some cases compensation.
Premier Legal Assist can connect you with a team of specialist housing disrepair lawyers who operate on a 'no-win, no-fee' basis. Our panel of specialist lawyers has years of experience dealing with local councils and housing associations across the UK.
To find out if you are eligible to make a 'no-win, no-fee' claim, complete our short form, and a team member will be in touch.
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Important Information
Premier Legal Assist is a claims management company. You do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint, you can complain to the organisation you are complaining about directly. If the issue is not resolved, you can refer it to the relevant independent Ombudsman service for free.