Living with severe damp, toxic black mould, broken heating, or dangerous electrics is not just uncomfortable—it can be a serious risk to health and safety. Under the 2025 social housing regulations linked to Awaab’s Law (awaabs), landlords face strict timeframes to act on hazards. When those deadlines are missed, specialist housing-disrepair lawyers and barristers can step in to push for urgent repairs and, where appropriate, compensation.
This guide explains (in plain English) how Awaab’s Law time limits work, what types of hazards are covered, how legal teams use the Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol and the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, and what evidence helps your case move quickly.
What is Awaab’s Law (and why it matters in 2025)?
Awaab’s Law is a key set of duties and timeframes introduced through the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and implemented through regulations that set clear expectations for landlord action. The goal is simple: prevent social housing tenants from being left for months (or years) in unsafe conditions, especially where hazards like damp and mould affect health.
For tenants, the practical benefit is clarity. Instead of vague promises like “we’ll log the job,” Awaab’s Law focuses on defined deadlines for action—helping tenants, advocates, and legal professionals hold landlords to account.
The headline Awaab’s Law repair deadlines
Under the new framework, landlords must meet strict timeframes for particular hazard types and stages of response. The key time limits commonly referenced are:
| Situation | What the landlord must do | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency hazards | Take emergency action | Within 24 hours |
| Damp and mould hazards | Carry out repair action for damp and mould | Within 5 days |
| Investigations | Start or complete required investigations (where prescribed) | Within 14 days |
These deadlines are designed to shift repairs from “whenever we get to it” to “act fast, because health can’t wait.”
The legal foundation: how lawyers build a strong disrepair case
Specialist housing-disrepair teams typically work within two key legal routes:
- The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (Section 11), which requires landlords to keep the structure and exterior in repair and to maintain installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, and heating (including hot water).
- The Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol, which is the established framework for resolving housing disrepair disputes before court proceedings—often encouraging faster outcomes when landlords respond appropriately.
In practice, this means your legal team can pursue both: (1) rapid repairs to make the home safe and (2) compensation where a tenant has experienced harm, inconvenience, or damage because the landlord did not meet their duties.
Why the Pre-Action Protocol can speed up repairs
The Pre-Action Protocol sets expectations for how disrepair complaints and evidence should be shared before litigation. When used well, it can:
- Put the landlord on formal notice with a clear record of what needs fixing.
- Encourage early settlement and prompt repair action.
- Help focus the dispute on evidence (photos, logs, medical records) rather than promises.
- Create momentum toward repairs if a landlord has delayed for months.
For tenants, the biggest win is often simple: getting the home made safe quickly—especially where children, elderly residents, or vulnerable tenants are at risk.
Which housing hazards does Awaab’s Law enforcement commonly focus on?
Awaab’s Law is frequently discussed in connection with damp and mould, but legal teams also pursue urgent action and compensation for other serious hazards. Category 1 hazards and prescribed hazards can include conditions that pose a significant risk of harm.
1) Severe damp and toxic black mould (Category 1 hazards)
Damp and mould problems can involve multiple causes and may show up as:
- Persistent condensation (often linked to inadequate ventilation, heating issues, or building defects).
- Penetrating damp (water ingress through walls, roofs, gutters, or external defects).
- Toxic black mould such as Stachybotrys (sometimes called “black mould”), which may be associated with prolonged moisture issues.
The tenant impact is not just cosmetic. Damp and mould exposure can be associated with respiratory symptoms, asthma attacks, and skin conditions. That health link is one reason fast deadlines matter.
2) Excess cold, broken heating, and hot water failures
Excess cold may result from:
- Faulty boiler systems and repeated breakdowns.
- Inadequate insulation and draught issues.
In cold weather, heating failures can create urgent health risks, especially for vulnerable tenants. Legal claims often focus on compelling repairs (like boiler replacement) and demonstrating the real-life impact through temperature logs and call-out records.
3) Fire and electrical risks
Some disrepair cases also involve safety hazards such as:
- Electrical faults and dangerous wiring.
- Fire safety non-compliance.
- Structural instability that increases risk in the home.
These hazards can pose serious harm risks, including potential fire or carbon monoxide concerns depending on the circumstances and installations involved.
4) Contamination, leaks, and waste hazards
Legal teams may also address hazards including:
- Lead in water pipes (where present).
- Wastewater leaks and sewage exposure risks.
- Poor ventilation that worsens indoor air quality.
These issues can affect day-to-day health and hygiene, and they often require proper investigation—not just surface-level patching.
How specialist barristers and housing-disrepair lawyers help tenants enforce deadlines
When a landlord delays or repeatedly fails to fix hazards, a specialist legal team can bring structure, urgency, and credibility to the process. In many cases, they aim to achieve two outcomes:
- Repairs completed to remove the hazard and make the home safe.
- Compensation for the impact of living with disrepair, health symptoms, inconvenience, and damage to belongings (where supported by evidence).
What “rapid legal action” can look like
While every case depends on facts and evidence, a fast-moving approach commonly includes:
- Assessing the issues against Awaab’s Law timeframes and the landlord’s repair duties under Section 11.
- Preparing a clear case file using the Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol.
- Presenting the landlord with evidence-backed demands for inspection, works, and deadlines.
- Escalating if the landlord fails to respond meaningfully or meet required timescales.
The benefit of using specialists is focus: teams that work exclusively on tenant rights and housing disrepair often know what landlords respond to, what documentation persuades quickly, and how to push for a timetable that protects tenant health.
No Win, No Fee (Conditional Fee Agreements): why tenants choose this route
Many housing-disrepair firms offer a No Win, No Fee model through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Put simply: legal fees are typically payable only if the claim succeeds.
For tenants, the key benefits are:
- Lower financial risk when enforcing your right to a safe home.
- Access to specialist representation even if you cannot pay upfront.
- Incentive for efficiency, because the legal team is motivated to build a strong, winnable case supported by clear evidence.
Many teams also provide a dedicated case handler, which can make the process feel far more manageable—especially when you are dealing with illness, disrupted sleep, or ongoing hazards at home.
Evidence that makes your Awaab’s Law or disrepair claim stronger (and faster)
Strong evidence can be the difference between “we’ll look into it” and “repairs scheduled and completed.” A practical way to think about evidence is: show the hazard, show the timeline, show the impact, show the landlord knew.
Core evidence checklist
- Documented complaints (emails, letters, online repair reports, screenshots of portals, and dates/time of reports).
- Photographic and video records of disrepair (mould growth, leaks, damaged plaster, broken heaters, unsafe electrics).
- Medical evidence where relevant (GP notes, hospital letters, asthma plans, prescriptions), especially for respiratory symptoms.
- Call-out records (emergency repair visits, contractor appointments, “no fix” visits).
- Temperature logs and notes on heating/hot water availability (particularly for excess cold or boiler failures).
- Damp readings or inspection findings, if you have them (even informal notes can help build a timeline).
- Records of damage to belongings (photos and receipts where available).
A simple logging template you can copy
If you want a tenant-friendly way to build a timeline, keep a daily or weekly log that includes:
- Date and time
- Room affected (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen)
- What happened (new mould patch, leak, boiler cut out, sockets sparking)
- What you did (reported to landlord, called repairs line)
- Reference number (if given)
- Impact (sleep disruption, asthma flare, child unwell, room unusable)
This kind of record helps show both severity and persistence—two factors that often drive urgent action.
Real-world outcomes: examples of repairs and compensation secured through pre-action work
When legal action is structured and evidence-backed, outcomes can be fast and practical—especially where the landlord has delayed despite repeated complaints.
Case example: severe mould in a Manchester council property
In one example, a family with two young children reported black mould in bedrooms and a bathroom multiple times over 18 months. The underlying cause was not properly addressed. After pre-action protocol proceedings were initiated under the Housing Disrepair Protocol, the landlord completed the necessary repairs within two weeks and agreed a compensation settlement.
Key evidence highlighted included:
- History of documented complaints
- Medical evidence of respiratory symptoms
- Photographs showing the spread of mould
The practical takeaway: a clear paper trail plus strong visuals and health impact evidence can turn a long-running problem into urgent action.
Case example: heating failure in a Birmingham housing association flat
In another example, an elderly tenant experienced unreliable heating for three winters, with repeated breakdowns and emergency call-outs but no permanent fix. Following legal intervention referencing Awaab’s Law timescales, the landlord installed a new boiler system and carried out insulation improvements, alongside compensation.
Key evidence highlighted included:
- Vulnerable tenant status (relevant to risk and urgency)
- Emergency repair call-out records
- Temperature logs showing inadequate heating
The practical takeaway: when you can prove persistent failure and the day-to-day impact, claims can achieve tangible upgrades that make the home warm, safe, and liveable.
How to tell if your situation may qualify for urgent action
If you are in social housing and you are dealing with conditions that threaten health or safety, it is worth treating it as more than “just a repair.” Situations that commonly justify urgent escalation include:
- Severe damp and mould that keeps returning or spreading.
- Respiratory issues (such as asthma symptoms worsening) linked to housing conditions.
- No heating or hot water, especially in cold weather or for vulnerable occupants.
- Electrical hazards (burning smells, sparking, frequent tripping, exposed wiring).
- Leaks and contamination that affect hygiene, air quality, or water safety.
Even if a landlord has sent someone out before, repeat call-outs without a lasting fix can support the argument that the landlord has not properly discharged repair duties.
What to expect when you start a housing disrepair claim
While each case varies, many tenants can expect a process that aims to reduce stress and deliver quick progress:
- Initial assessment of hazards, your complaint history, and the urgency under Awaab’s Law deadlines.
- Evidence gathering, including photos, logs, and relevant medical documents.
- Pre-action protocol steps to put the landlord on notice and seek agreement on inspections and works.
- Repair timetable pressure, using the legal framework to push for meaningful action.
- Settlement discussions that may cover repairs, compensation, and sometimes additional remedial works.
With a dedicated case handler, tenants often benefit from regular updates and a clear checklist of what to send, what to document, and what happens next.
Key takeaways: your rights, your evidence, and your next step
- Awaab’s Law sets clear repair timeframes in social housing, including 24 hours for emergencies, 5 days for damp and mould repairs, and 14 days for investigations where prescribed.
- Specialist housing-disrepair lawyers and barristers use the Housing Disrepair Pre-Action Protocol and Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to compel action.
- Strong evidence—especially documented complaints, photos, medical records, and temperature/call-out logs—can accelerate outcomes.
- With a No Win, No Fee Conditional Fee Agreement and a dedicated case handler, tenants can pursue repairs and compensation with reduced financial risk.
If your landlord has ignored repeated reports or missed urgent deadlines, gathering your evidence now (photos, dates, logs, and medical notes) puts you in the strongest position to enforce your right to a safe, warm, mould-free home.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Does Awaab’s Law apply to all housing?
Awaab’s Law is associated with social housing regulation and the duties imposed through the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and related regulations. If you rent privately, other legal routes may apply, but the specific Awaab’s Law deadlines are tied to the social housing regulatory framework.
What if my landlord keeps “treating” mould but it comes back?
Repeat mould suggests the underlying cause (like ventilation defects, leaks, or insulation issues) has not been fixed. A well-prepared disrepair claim focuses on the root cause, backed by a history of reports and photos showing recurrence.
What counts as useful medical evidence?
Items like GP notes, prescriptions, asthma management plans, or hospital letters can help show health impact. Even a record of appointments and symptoms over time can support the timeline—particularly where respiratory problems are linked to damp and mould exposure.
Can I still claim if I have been complaining for months or years?
Yes. A long history of complaints often strengthens the argument that the landlord knew about the issue and failed to fix it. Keeping (or reconstructing) a timeline of reports and responses can be very valuable.
