Following the Grenfell fire in 2017 and the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in 2020 as a direct result of exposure to mould in his parent’s social home, the regulation of social housing has been significantly strengthened by the introduction of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.
This post explains what social housing is, how the regulation of social housing has been tightened, and plans to extend the new Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.
Updated 9 October 2026
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At a glance
What is social housing?
Social housing is a term used in the UK to describe lower-cost rented housing provided by landlords registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. They are known as social landlords, and can be a council or a housing association.
According to the 2022-23 English Housing Survey, 16% of the housing in England is social housing.
The social housing sector is slightly smaller than separate to the private rented sector, where housing is provided by private landlords, and provides 19% of the housing in England.
Changes to the regulation of social housing from 1 April 2024
The regulation of social housing has been significantly strengthened “to raise standards, increase transparency and accountability, and engage tenants” (Source: Reshaping consumer regulation: Our new approach).
The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 came into effect on 1 April 2024, and gives the Regulator of Social Housing new powers “to put in place stronger and more active regulation of our consumer standards”. The Act also introduces new rules to protect social tenants from serious hazards in their homes.
Under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, social landlords will now be routinely inspected, and subject to a range of potential sanctions, including appointing new management or unlimited fines. The Regulator of Social Housing will be able to investigate and take action where there is evidence about potential landlord failures in the new consumer standards.
Where individual tenants have complaints, they will continue to use the Housing Ombudsman Service for providing redress. The Regulator and the Ombudsman are due to prepare, publish and review their Memorandum of Understanding to agree how they plan to work together in regulation and the handling of complaints.
The Regulator will take action following their regular reviews of information and data, self-referrals from landlords, referrals made by a stakeholder (including tenants) and information shared with the regulator by the Housing Ombudsman or another regulator.
This is how the Regulator of Social Housing and the government press release describe the requirements that social landlords to follow from 1 April 2024:
- maintain tenants’ homes so that they are safe and of a decent standard and provide a quality service
- handle complaints effectively
- listen to tenants and support them to influence decisions”
- have a relationship with their tenants that is underpinned by shared expectations of fairness and respect and a shared understanding of their respective rights and responsibilities
- demonstrate that they understand the diverse needs of the communities thatthey serve, and that their services reflect those diverse needs
- have an accurate record on the condition of every home, based on checks of properties so landlords can understand any problems and take action.
- set clear timelines for the completion of repairs, maintenance and planned improvements, communicating them clearly to tenants.
- give tenants opportunities to influence and scrutinise their landlord’s services such as through meetings with tenant organisations.
- provide tenants with information about their rights and how to make complaints.
- publish the new tenant satisfaction measures to make it clear how tenants feel their landlord is performing and hold them to account.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law is the name given to Section 42 of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which introduces an implied term into social housing tenancy agreements to the effect that social landlords are required to “take action, in relation to prescribed hazards which affect or may affect the leased dwelling, within the period or periods specified in the regulations”. These hazards include damp and mould.
It is named after Awaab Ishak, the toddler who died as of a severe respiratory condition caused by mould in the social housing flat in which he lived with his parents.
Implementation of Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector
Awaab’s Law came into force for the social rented sector from 27 October 2025, when all social landlords are required to address emergency hazards and all damp and mould hazards that pose a “significant risk of harm to tenants” to fixed timeframes.
Guidance states that emergency hazards must be investigated “as soon as reasonably practicable, and within 24 hours”. If “relevant safety works” are needed to make the property safe, this must also be done “as soon as reasonably practicable, and within 24 hours of the completion of the investigation that identified the emergency hazard”.
Social landlords will be required to repair fix dangerous damp and mould within fixed timescales set out in the Guidance.
As for the remaining aspects of Awaab’s Law, Angela Rayner’s written ministerial statement from February 2025 entitled Improving the quality of social housing and strengthening tenant voice outlined the following further dates:
- 2026 – Wider range of hazards. The rules will apply to a wider range of hazards beyond damp and mould, including “excess cold and excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, electrical and explosions, and hygiene hazards”.
- 2027 – all remaining hazards excluding overcrowding. The full list of hazards can be found in schedule 1 the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005.
The statement underlines the fact social landlords already have a duty to keep their homes fit for human habitation, free of category 1 hazards and to remedy disrepair, which can be enforced via the Housing Ombudsman and ultimately the courts.
Extension of Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector
Section 60 of the Renters’ Rights Act includes provisions that will extend Awaab’s Law (the remedying of hazards) to the private rented sector.
The government issued a consultation on 9 October 2026 on how Awaab’s Law should be extended to the private rented sector. It is expected to be rolled out from 2028.
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