Awaab's Law for private landlords: what the new consultation does and does not say
Short answer: The government opened a consultation on 9 October 2026 on how Awaab's Law should apply to private tenancies. It closes at 11.59pm on 18 December 2026. Its starting point is the social-housing model: 24 hours for emergencies, 10 working days to investigate, 5 to make safe. None of it binds private landlords yet, and there is no start date.
Here is what it proposes, what it leaves open, what applies now, and how to respond.
What did the government publish on 8 and 9 October 2026?
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published its press release, "Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families", at 10.30pm on 8 October. The consultation, Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences, opened at 10am on 9 October. It has three parts: private tenancies; accommodation occupied under licence (supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households, care leaver accommodation); and costs and impacts. There are 64 questions.
The legal hook is already on the statute book. Section 60 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 rewrites section 10A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to cover any lease of a dwelling-house in England for less than seven years. It is not in force: legislation.gov.uk marks section 60 as prospective, and section 10A still applies only to "relevant social housing leases". Commencement and regulations under section 10A(3) must follow this consultation.
What does the consultation propose?
The starting point is the social-housing rules, in force since 27 October 2025 under the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1042). The government asks where private renting needs something different.
| Proposal | What it would mean for a private landlord | Status as at 9 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Hazards covered: all 21 HHSRS hazards except crowding and space | Damp and mould, plus excess cold, falls, electrical, fire and the rest | Proposed (question 4) |
| Trigger: a "significant" or "emergency" hazard | Serious risks only, not routine repairs; whether the tenant's circumstances count is open | Proposed (questions 7 to 9) |
| Investigate a significant hazard | 10 working days; options of 5, 10 or 15 | Open (question 11) |
| Written summary to the tenant | Social rule: within 3 working days of the investigation; options of 1, 3 or 5 | Open (questions 14 to 16) |
| Make a significant hazard safe | 5 working days after the investigation; options of 3, 5 or 10 | Open (question 18) |
| Emergency hazards | Investigate and make safe within 24 hours; options of 12, 24 or 48 | Open (question 23) |
| Alternative accommodation if a home cannot be made safe in time | Required of social landlords; the government has feasibility concerns for private landlords | Open (question 25) |
| Hazards that are the freeholder's responsibility | Either excluded, or the leaseholder landlord must take reasonable steps to get the freeholder to act | Open (question 6) |
| Start date | Earliest feasible is 2027; options of 2027, 2028 or 2029 | Open (question 30) |
Councils would have no direct role in enforcing the timescales. The requirements become an implied term of the tenancy, enforceable against the landlord only through a claim for breach (section 10A(4)), with a defence for a landlord who used all reasonable endeavours (section 10A(5)).
When will Awaab's Law apply to private landlords?
There is no date. The consultation is meant to set it. The document says the earliest feasible date "would be 2027", given the time needed to make regulations. Question 30 offers 2027, 2028 or 2029, and the consultation's impact assessment assumes a phased start in 2028, 2029 and 2030. Question 31 asks whether to wait for the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, which the government expects from 2028. A "2027" headline is the earliest option on a consultation form, not a commencement date. We won't quote you a start date the government has not set.
What applies to private landlords right now?
- Repairs within a reasonable time. Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 covers the structure, exterior and installations, and section 9A requires the home to be fit for human habitation. The consultation itself notes that no specific timescale applies to private landlords now.
- A £7,000 penalty for category 1 hazards. Since 22 June 2026, section 6A of the Housing Act 2004 (inserted by Schedule 4 to the Renters' Rights Act 2025, commenced by SI 2026/638) lets a council fine the responsible person up to £7,000 when it takes enforcement action over a category 1 hazard that, in its opinion, it was reasonably practicable to remove. It does not cover the common parts of a block of flats.
- A revised HHSRS. The consultation records that the rating system changed on 23 June 2026, cutting the hazard list from 29 to 21.
- The Decent Homes Standard reaches private renting from 2035, according to the government response the consultation cites.
What does it mean for a London new-build flat?
First, ventilation. A failed MVHR unit leads to condensation and mould risk on cold-bridge surfaces, which is why we write it into the annual plan for every luxury new-build flat we manage (what annual new-build servicing costs). If the private sector is phased, question 29A asks whether damp, mould and emergency hazards should go first.
Second, leasehold. The consultation puts privately rented leasehold homes at 1.96 million, around 40% of the sector. A communal heating fault or a leak from the building envelope usually sits with the freeholder. Question 6 decides whether that starts your clock as a duty to chase the freeholder, or falls outside Awaab's Law altogether. The consultation also notes that where an agent manages repairs, the landlord stays liable and may need new contractual terms with that agent.
What should a London landlord do now?
Make sure every report is time-stamped, inspect, service the ventilation, and read what your agent has signed up to.
On every property we manage we already run a hazard protocol modelled on the social-housing rules, set out in our Essential Terms and Charges (v2.4.0, section 46.X). These are our own service standards, run voluntarily ahead of any private-sector rules, not legal deadlines. Every report is acknowledged within one working day. For an emergency we contact a contractor within 4 hours and arrange attendance within 24 hours. For damp, mould and other significant hazards we inspect within 3 working days and instruct a contractor within 5. Tenants report through James on WhatsApp or web chat, by phone on 020 3865 1500 (answered 24 hours a day), or to aftercare@harveywjames.com, and a phone report is written down at once and confirmed with a reference. Full Management includes an Annual Property Health Check, and an interim inspection costs £60 when a landlord asks for one. See property management.
How do I respond to the consultation?
Use the official route only: the online survey linked from the GOV.UK consultation page, or email awaabslawconsultation@communities.gov.uk or write to the postal address on that page. It closes at 11.59pm on 18 December 2026. You can answer only the parts that concern you; Part 3 asks landlords and agents for cost evidence. As the consultation asks, do not put personal details such as your name and address in your answers.
For the full framework, see our Awaab's Law explainer and Renters' Rights Act 2025 guide.
Sources
- GOV.UK press release, 8 October 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/clampdown-on-dangerous-homes-to-protect-more-tenants-and-families
- GOV.UK consultation page (opened 9 October 2026, closes 18 December 2026): https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/extending-awaabs-law-to-private-rented-tenancies-and-to-licences
- Consultation document: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/extending-awaabs-law-to-private-rented-tenancies-and-to-licences/extending-awaabs-law-to-private-rented-tenancies-and-to-licences
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 60 (prospective): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/26/section/60
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 10A: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70/section/10A
- SI 2025/1042, regulation 1 (in force 27 October 2025): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1042/regulation/1/made
- Housing Act 2004, section 6A: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/section/6A
- SI 2026/638 (Commencement No. 3): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/638/made
- Harvey W James, Essential Terms and Charges v2.4.0 (6 October 2026), sections 35.2, 46.X and 46.4