Awaab’s Law in Practice: The Cost, Capacity, and Compliance Challenge for Councils
- truthaboutlocalgov
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Awaab's Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who tragically died from prolonged exposure to mould in his Rochdale home, has ushered in a new era of accountability for social landlords. Effective from 27 October 2025, the law imposes strict timeframes for addressing damp, mould, and other serious hazards. But as councils grapple with this new legal duty, many are also navigating the complexities of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The scale of the challenge is immense. According to the Housing Ombudsman, complaints about poor living conditions have surged by 474% since 2019, with 72% of cases revealing poor practice. In 2023–24 alone, £8.8 billion was spent on repairs and maintenance across 200 registered providers up from £7.7 billion the previous year and a 63% increase on 2020–21. Despite this, one million children still live in homes with serious hazards, and 43% of repair cases are considered high risk.
A UK-wide survey by Health Equals found that 23% of people experiencing damp, mould, or cold were social renters, and those from the lowest-income households were almost twice as likely to live in poor conditions. Meanwhile, over 60% of UK residents report experiencing mould in their homes, with 31% encountering it more than once. This article explores the cost, capacity, and compliance challenges facing local authorities and how the sector can rise to meet them.
What Does Awaab's Law Require?
Awaab’s Law introduces legally binding timeframes for social landlords to respond to housing hazards. These are not just administrative targets they are enforceable duties written into tenancy agreements.
Phase 1 (from 27 October 2025) covers:
Emergency hazards (e.g. severe mould, gas leaks, electrical faults, structural collapse):
Must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
A written summary of findings must be provided to tenants within 3 working days.
If the property cannot be made safe, alternative accommodation must be offered immediately.
Significant hazards (e.g. damp and mould not posing immediate danger):
Must be investigated within 10 working days.
If confirmed, remedial work must begin within 5 working days.
Written findings must be shared with tenants within 3 working days.
If repairs cannot begin within 5 days, they must start within 12 weeks, with justification recorded.
Phase 2 (2026) will expand to include:
Excess cold and heat
Falls (on stairs, between levels, etc.)
Structural collapse and explosions
Fire and electrical hazards
Hygiene and food safety risks
Phase 3 (2027) will cover all remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards, excluding overcrowding.
Tenant-Centric Risk Assessment is now required:
Hazards must be assessed in relation to the tenant’s health, age, and vulnerability.
Even low-scoring HHSRS hazards may be legally significant if the tenant is at higher risk (e.g. children, elderly, pregnant individuals).
Record-Keeping and Legal Defence:
Landlords must maintain detailed logs of all communications, inspections, and actions.
Failure to meet deadlines can result in legal action, compensation claims, and reputational damage.
Alternative Accommodation:
If a home cannot be made safe within the required timeframe, landlords must offer suitable temporary housing at no cost to the tenant.
These requirements are enforceable under contract law and monitored by the Regulator of Social Housing. Non-compliance can lead to enforcement orders, fines, and court action.
Cost Implications and Implementation Challenges for Councils
The introduction of Awaab’s Law marks a significant shift in the responsibilities of social landlords, particularly local authorities. While the law is a vital step toward safer housing, its implementation presents substantial financial and operational challenges for councils already grappling with constrained budgets and competing priorities.
Financial Pressures
Councils are facing new budgetary burdens to meet the statutory requirements of Awaab’s Law. For example:
North West Leicestershire District Council has earmarked £500,000 over five years to fund additional staffing required to comply with the law. This includes a £100,000 annual increase in housing service costs, funded from underspend in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
The Government’s own impact assessment estimates a £180.6 million net present social cost and a £10.8 million annual cost to businesses, including councils, to implement the law.
The National Federation of ALMOs warns that the government has underestimated the true cost, particularly the expense of responding to repairs faster and less predictably. Councils will need to invest in more reactive services, which are inherently more expensive than planned maintenance.
Operational Challenges
Implementing Awaab’s Law requires councils to overhaul inspection, triage, and repair processes:
Kirklees Council has responded by expanding internal teams and contracting external mould treatment specialists, enabling them to exceed weekly demand for inspections and treatments. They now conduct 91 inspections and 89 treatments per week, supported by a third contractor on standby for surges.
Bristol City Council has publicly stated it may fail to comply with the law’s October 2025 deadlines due to backlogs, incomplete surveys, and legacy IT systems. This signals broader sector-wide readiness issues.
Councils must also navigate conflicting regulations, such as the existing Right to Repair framework, which may clash with Awaab’s Law’s timelines. The Local Government Association has called for alignment or repeal of overlapping rules to avoid confusion and inefficiency.
Staffing and Contractor Shortages
Awaab’s Law mandates rapid response times 24 hours for emergencies and 10 working days for damp and mould investigations. However, many councils report:
Shortages of qualified contractors willing to take on residential repair work.
Limited internal capacity to meet inspection and communication requirements.
Increased demand for temporary accommodation when homes cannot be made safe in time, adding pressure to already stretched homelessness services.
The Added Pressure of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is reshaping the structure of local authorities across England, consolidating two-tier systems into single-tier unitary authorities. While the aim is to streamline governance and improve service delivery, the transition presents significant challenges particularly in housing. Councils undergoing LGR must navigate:
Asset consolidation: Merging housing stock, IT systems, and property records from multiple legacy authorities.
Staffing transitions: Aligning pay grades, job descriptions, and responsibilities across newly formed units.
Service harmonisation: Standardising housing policies, repair protocols, and tenant engagement strategies.
Budget realignment: Reallocating Housing Revenue Accounts and capital investment plans to reflect new boundaries.
These changes are happening concurrently with the rollout of Awaab’s Law, the Renters’ Reform Bill, and updates to the Decent Homes Standard. The cumulative pressure is stretching council capacity and creating uncertainty for tenants and staff alike. Angela Rayner, who previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, had stated in February 2025 that LGR was "no excuse" for failing to meet housing targets or legal obligations. She emphasised that the government would work in partnership with the sector to clamp down on damp and mouldy homes and ensure all residents are treated with the respect they deserve.
Her statement also confirmed the phased implementation of Awaab’s Law and the government’s commitment to improving housing safety and quality across both social and private rented sectors. However, since her departure from the role, sector leaders have called for renewed clarity and support from her successor. Councils are urging central government to:
Provide transitional funding to cover LGR-related housing costs.
Issue updated guidance on compliance expectations during reorganisation.
Facilitate regional collaboration to share best practice and resources.
The complexity of LGR means that housing teams are often working across multiple legacy systems, with inconsistent data, fragmented contractor relationships, and varying levels of tenant trust. In some areas, housing officers are managing properties in districts they previously had no oversight of, while trying to implement new legal standards under Awaab’s Law. Without coordinated support, there is a risk that LGR will delay or dilute the impact of Awaab’s Law undermining its intent and leaving vulnerable tenants exposed.
Conclusion
Awaab's Law represents a watershed moment in the pursuit of safe, dignified housing for all. It enshrines the principle that no one especially a child should suffer or die due to neglectful housing conditions. Yet, its rollout is occurring against a backdrop of significant disruption: the ongoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), chronic underfunding, and overstretched council teams. These pressures risk delaying or diluting the law’s impact.
To truly honour the legacy of Awaab Ishak, councils must respond not only with urgency but with strategic clarity. This means embedding compliance into broader housing and asset management strategies, investing in workforce capacity, and forging stronger partnerships across departments and with housing providers. It also requires a cultural shift one that prioritises tenant voice, proactive maintenance, and accountability. Awaab’s Law is more than a regulatory requirement; it is a moral imperative. Local authorities must rise to the challenge, ensuring that every home is safe, every complaint is heard, and every child is protected.
