Awaab's Law in the Private Rented Sector: The Government's Consultation
As part of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, Awaab's Law will be extended to the Private Rented Sector. Whilst it is recognised that Private Landlords have existing obligations to carry out repairs, the extension of Awaab's Law aims to provide Private Landlords with clear timescales and processes for dealing with hazards and emergency repairs.
The first phase of Awaab's Law came into force for the Social Housing Sector on 27 October 2025 and it set out the requirements for Social Landlords in relation to hazards within its properties. This included setting out timescales for Social Landlords to investigate and remedy hazards and emergency repairs, providing written summaries following the investigation of a hazard, and the provision for alternative accommodation where the relevant timescales cannot be met.
The Consultation recognises the additional challenges that Private Landlords may face when compared to the Social Housing Sector, for example Social Landlords are more likely to have a dedicated repairs team than a Private Landlord. As Social Landlords and Private Landlords do not operate in the same way, the requirements that Awaab's Law places on Social Landlords will therefore require modification before Awaab's Law can be extended to the Private Rented Sector.
The Consultation is open from 9 October 2026 to 18 December 2026, and it gives Private Landlords the opportunity to share their thoughts on how Awaab's Law should be applied to the Private Rented Sector, and in what ways it should be applied differently to the Social Housing Sector. Some of the areas included in the Consultation are as follows:
The Health and Safety Rating System Hazards to be included within the scope of Awaab's Law;
The timescales in which Private Landlords should be required to investigate and remedy hazards;
Written summaries following an investigation – whether these should be a requirement, and if so, when Private Landlords should be required to produce them;
The requirement of providing alternative accommodation; and
How Awaab's Law should be implemented within the Private Rented Sector.
Awaab's Law will be extended to the Private Sector as part of the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The Consultation is an opportunity for Private Landlords to share their views on how Awaab's Law should be applied to the Private Rented Sector before it comes into force.