New laws are now in force protecting social housing tenants from emergency hazards and damp and mould. The changes are a lasting legacy to Awaab Ishak.
Millions of tenants across the country will benefit from safer homes thanks to new rules coming into force this week..
The first phase of Awaab’s Law will force social landlords to take urgent action to fix dangerous homes or face the full force of the law, improving lives for tenants and families living in all four million of England’s social rented homes.
The new legal duties will put tenants’ safety first with landlords forced to fix emergency health and safety hazards within 24 hours of reporting. They must also investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified and then make properties safe in five working days. For both types of hazards, they must also write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection.
As part of the reforms, landlords now must also consider the circumstances of tenants which could put them at risk – including young children and those with disabilities or health conditions. Alternative accommodation must also be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes.
The government say these reforms will not only keep tenants safer in their homes, but hold landlords to account. Those who fail to comply with the rules face being taken to court, where they could be issued enforcement orders, forced to pay compensation and legal costs – as well as loss of rent if homes were uninhabitable.
Awaab’s Law is a lasting legacy to two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died after being exposed to mould at his Rochdale home in December 2020. In the wake of this tragedy, Awaab’s family has fought to secure justice, not only for their son but for all those who live in social housing.
Gavin Smart, Chief Executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing said:
“We welcome Awaab’s Law as a significant step in ensuring that all social housing tenants live in safe and decent homes.
“It is the culmination of committed efforts by Awaab Ishak’s family and provides an important new framework for addressing serious health and safety concerns, beginning with damp and mould.
“Social landlords have been preparing for this change and have new processes in place to respond to these new requirements.
“We also welcome the new funding to enhance tenant engagement, a vital investment to help build cultures of trust, accountability, and safety in social housing.”
Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said:
“The quality and safety of residents’ homes is housing associations’ top priority, and today represents an important milestone in our sector’s drive to ensure all our homes are the standard residents deserve.
“Since 2020 housing associations have increased spending on repairs and maintenance by 55%, with plans to spend a further £50bn over the next five years. This is why 90% of our homes meet the decent homes standard, more than all other tenures.
“But as landlords rooted in social purpose, we want all of our residents to enjoy the highest standards of comfort, safety and quality. This is why, following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak, we have supported this law from the beginning and have worked closely with the government to ensure its introduction will provide the most positive outcomes for residents.
“These reforms, alongside the government’s 10-year funding settlement and commitment to a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing, put housing associations on the sure footing needed to both continue investing in existing homes while having the confidence to build new ones. This will ease overcrowding pressures, which are a major contributor to damp and mould, and get to the root of addressing the housing crisis once and for all.”
A new £1 million fund has also been launched this week to create new ways of helping tenants engage with their landlords and have more influence over decisions that affect them.
Up to £100,000 will be granted to successful bidders who propose strong ideas for improving communication between landlords and tenants and help tenants have more of a say in how their homes are managed.
Examples of innovative ideas could include online platforms, marketing campaigns or recruiting specialist personnel who can support tenants to improve their experiences in social housing.
It is hoped this will help replace “the outdated, inefficient ways of communicating that leave tenants feeling unheard and waiting too long to get issues resolved by their landlord.”
A refreshed guidance for landlords on Awaab’s Law is now also available on gov.uk, to help them understand their new legal duties: Awaab’s Law: Guidance for social landlords – Timeframes for repairs in the social rented sector – GOV.UK
Main Image: For illustration purposes only.
