Implementing Awaab’s Law – How you can have your say

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has opened a consultation around the timeframes which social landlords must follow when investigating and fixing any reported health hazards in their homes. They are looking for anyone living or working in social housing to contribute their views and insight, and so we want to offer our customers the opportunity to take part.

Background

The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in December 2020 was a direct result of exposure to mould in his family’s social home. Whilst his parents had raised concerns repeatedly about their severe living conditions, their landlord blamed the family for causing it and failed to remedy it.

This tragedy has sparked changes in the way social landlords are required to approach cases of damp and mould in their homes, as well as other health concerns. At Great Places, our principle is that everyone should be able to live in a good quality home, and whilst measures customers can take to prevent damp and mould from developing are important, as the government states; it is our responsibility as a landlord to identify and address underlying causes, including structural issues and inadequate ventilation.

Following a petition launched by Awaab’s parents, this responsibility was consolidated in Awaab’s Law, which formed part of the Social Housing Regulation Act in 2023. This ruled that social landlords must investigate and fix reported health hazards within specific timeframes.

The consultation

There is now a consultation to set those timeframes, as well as on the implementation of Awaab’s Law – and the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities need to hear the views of those living and working in social housing. The chief timescales the consultation will be focusing on are:

1. Timescales for initial investigations of potential hazards;
2. Requirements to be placed upon landlords to provide written summaries of investigation findings;
3. Timescales for beginning repair works;
4. Timescales for completing repair works;
5. Timescales for emergency repairs;
6. The circumstances under which properties should be temporarily decanted to protect residents’ health and safety;
7. Requirements to be placed upon landlords to maintain adequate record-keeping throughout repair works.

The consultation started on 9 January 2024 and is set to run till 5 March 2024. The best way to contribute is through this online survey, however you may also email your proposals to socialhousingsafety@levellingup.gov.uk or send any written responses to:

Awaab’s Law Consultation
Social Housing Quality and Residents Division
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
3rd Floor, Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

If you choose to take part via email or letter, please indicate which questions you are responding to.

You can find the full government article with the consultation questions as well as more information about Awaab’s Law, its enforcement and impact assessment here.