Government consults on extending Awaab's Law to England's private rented homes

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has opened a consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and licensed accommodation in England, which it said could more than double the number of homes covered from 4 million to around 9 million.

The consultation runs from 9 October 2026 until 11.59pm on 18 December 2026, according to the GOV.UK consultation page. A government press release announcing the proposals was published on 8 October 2026.

MHCLG said more than 5 million additional households could benefit from the protections. Its consultation document puts the private rented sector in England at about 11 million renters living in 4.7 million households.

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said: "Awaab's Law is already helping to drive up standards in the social housing sector." He added that all renters, irrespective of tenure, have the right to live in a safe and decent home.

What is proposed

The government said it does not seek to set stronger or weaker Awaab's Law requirements for private tenancies than for social housing, and that it uses the existing social housing requirements as the starting point for its private sector proposals.

Under the social housing rules set out on GOV.UK, landlords must investigate potential significant hazards within 10 working days of becoming aware of them, give tenants a written summary of the findings within three working days, and carry out relevant safety work within five working days of the investigation concluding. For emergency hazards, both the investigation and the safety work must be completed within 24 hours.

MHCLG also wants views on extending Awaab's Law to three types of accommodation occupied under licence: supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and care leaver accommodation.

The government said the consultation will inform how Awaab's Law is implemented in the private rented sector, including the timescale for the requirements coming into force. Responses can be emailed to awaabslawconsultation@communities.gov.uk.

Differences between the sectors

Elmhurst Energy set out the contrast in scale between the two sectors. The social rented sector has around 1,400 active providers, it said, while the private rented sector has at least 2.3 million landlords, 82% of whom own fewer than five rental properties.

MHCLG said around one in 10 private rented homes has a category 1 hazard, the most serious level. It added that the Renters' Rights Act recently introduced fines of up to £7,000 where such hazards are found.

Social housing rollout

Awaab's Law is being introduced in social housing in phases. Phase 1, covering emergency hazards and serious damp and mould, came into force in late October 2025. Phase 2 will extend the significant hazard requirements and, subject to Parliament's approval, will come into force on 30 November 2026, according to the consultation document. Phase 3 will extend the requirements to the remaining Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards, with phases 2 and 3 covering all hazards except overcrowding across 2026 and 2027.

In Scotland, the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 have applied to both social and private landlords since 6 October 2026, according to Scottish Government guidance. Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said Scotland was leading the way in rolling out the protections to both social and private tenants, and the Scottish Government said 90% of homes in Scotland are free from damp and mould.

Assessor view

Elmhurst Energy, which describes itself as the UK's largest accreditation scheme for energy assessors and retrofit professionals and is a government and TrustMark approved accreditation body, said the proposals highlight the need for trained professionals who can identify damp and mould, understand its causes and give landlords clear, reliable information.

Simon Flint, Retrofit Scheme Manager at Elmhurst Energy, said: "Extending Awaab's Law could be an important step towards improving housing conditions across England." He said now is a good opportunity for assessors to consider how additional training could help them support landlords and tenants.

The consultation closes at 11.59pm on 18 December 2026.