Awaab's Law
Awaab's Law: acting on hazards in social housing
Updated 2026
Awaab's Law, introduced through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, requires social landlords to investigate and fix reported hazards such as damp and mould within set timescales, and to act far faster where a hazard poses a significant risk. Named after Awaab Ishak, it moves the emphasis from promising to act to proving you did. Timestamped records of which operative or contractor attended a property, and when, are exactly the evidence landlords now need.
- 1. legislation.gov.uk
- 2. MHCLG consultation
- 3. Regulator of Social Housing
Why Awaab's Law exists
Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old, died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social home. The coroner's findings prompted a legal duty on landlords to act on such hazards within defined periods.
Awaab's Law works by implying terms into social tenancy agreements: landlords must investigate a reported hazard within a set time, and carry out repairs within a further set time, with much shorter windows for emergency hazards that present a significant and imminent risk.
Evidence that work was done
The practical challenge for landlords is proof. When a regulator, an ombudsman or a court asks whether an operative attended a property within the required window and completed the work, a diary note or a self-reported timesheet is weak evidence.
The Salvus Network records the presence of a tagged operative or contractor at a property or block via Safety Detection Points, producing a timestamped attendance trail that shows who attended, when, and for how long.
Protecting the people who do the work
The same operatives visiting properties often work alone and can face aggression. A safety tag that doubles as a located duress alert protects them, while the attendance record it produces evidences the landlord's Awaab's Law and repairs obligations.
That combination, safer lone workers and a defensible record of attendance, is why social landlords increasingly look at real-time accountability rather than paper job sheets.
The Salvus Safety Desk
HSE research & compliance team
The Salvus Safety Desk is our in-house health, safety and compliance team, drawing on frontline experience across COMAH, DSEAR and CDM sites to translate regulation into practical, real-time controls.
Frequently asked questions
Which hazards does Awaab's Law cover?+
It began with damp and mould, with the framework designed to extend to other prescribed hazards over time. The exact hazards and timescales are set out in regulations under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.
How does attendance tracking help with Awaab's Law?+
It provides a timestamped, tamper-resistant record that an operative or contractor attended a specific property within the required window, which is far stronger evidence than a self-reported timesheet.
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