Four million homes today, around nine million if this goes through
What happened
On 8 October 2026 the government opened a consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private renters. Awaab's Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old who died after prolonged exposure to mould in his family's social housing. It sets legal deadlines by which landlords must investigate and fix serious hazards. Phase 1 came into force on 31 October 2025 for social housing, covering severe damp and mould. Phase 2 is scheduled for 30 November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval, and would add electrical hazards, excess cold and falls. Phase 3 is due in 2027 and would cover all remaining hazards in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System that present a significant risk of harm, apart from overcrowding. Until now, none of this has applied to private landlords. The consultation asks how the rules should work for the private rented sector, and when they should start. It also asks whether three other types of accommodation should be covered: - temporary accommodation for homeless people and families - accommodation for young people leaving care - supported housing, where many older and disabled people live The legal power to do this already exists. Section 60 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows the same kind of duty to be extended to private landlords letting under assured tenancies. The detail would be set out in regulations after this consultation. The consultation closes on 18 December 2026. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said: "Irrespective of tenure, all renters have the right to live in a safe and decent home."
Why this matters
The numbers tell the story. Awaab's Law currently protects over 4 million social housing tenants. The government says extending it as proposed could take the number of protected households from around 4 million to around 9 million. That is over 5 million more households. England has about 11 million private renters. And the condition of those homes is the reason this is being proposed. The government says around one in 10 private rented homes has a category 1 hazard - the most serious level. Landlords are already required to act on those. The change here is that specific legal deadlines would attach to that duty. There is also a point about who is affected. Morgan Vine, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, reported that 96% of older renters polled supported Awaab's Law, and warned that some fear being treated badly by a landlord if they ask for repairs. That fear is the quiet reason conditions go unreported. A deadline helps, but only if people feel safe enough to use it. Holly Williamson, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: "It must be put in action as soon as possible to make sure every renter can live in a good quality home." Clara Collingwood, Director of the Renters' Reform Coalition, said "nobody in the UK should have to live in a home that is making them ill or putting their lives at risk".
What the evidence actually says
It is important to be precise about what has and has not happened. Nothing changed for private renters on 8 October. A consultation opened. That is a request for views, not a new law. No private sector start date has been announced. No repair deadlines for private landlords have been set. The government's own release says the consultation will inform both the timescales and when protections take effect. Some trade coverage described private landlords and agents as "set to face" new enforceable deadlines - that is a description of a proposal, not a confirmed outcome. What is already real: the social housing duties in Phase 1, in force since October 2025. And the enforcement route - landlords who breach the rules can face fines of up to £7,000 under the Renters' Rights Act. What is also real is that the additional categories - temporary accommodation, care leaver accommodation and supported housing - are being explored rather than confirmed. The consultation asks whether they should be included. Francesca Albanese, Director of Policy and Social Change at Crisis, argued that hazards such as damp and mould need dealing with quickly and supported stricter standards for temporary accommodation such as hostels and B&Bs. Anela Anwar, chief executive of Become, said many young care leavers have lived in unsuitable or unsafe accommodation. On the health side, the link between damp, mould and respiratory illness is well established and is not in dispute. Mould spores can trigger asthma attacks and worsen other lung conditions, and the risk is highest for babies, older people and anyone with an existing respiratory problem.
Qurexa perspective
We deliver prescriptions across Lincolnshire, and a noticeable share of them are inhalers and other medicines for breathing problems. Damp housing and respiratory medication are connected in a way that is easy to miss. A child whose asthma is managed perfectly well on paper can still end up needing a reliever inhaler far more often because of the bedroom they sleep in. Treating the chest without addressing the wall only gets you so far. So two honest points. If you are using a blue reliever inhaler more than three times a week, that is a sign your asthma is not controlled, and it is worth a review regardless of your housing. And if your home is damp, say so at that appointment - it is relevant clinical information, not a complaint in the wrong place. If getting to the pharmacy is the barrier to staying on top of a repeat inhaler prescription, delivery is usually available. Ask.
Practical advice
If you rent privately and have damp, mould or another serious hazard, here is the order that works. Report it in writing. Email or a message through a portal, not a phone call. Keep a copy. Dates matter later. Take photographs, with a date visible if you can, and take them again if it gets worse. Describe the effect, not just the appearance. "Mould on the bedroom wall, my daughter's asthma inhaler use has doubled since August" carries far more weight than "there's mould". Keep a log of every contact: who you spoke to, when, and what they said. If nothing happens, complain to your council's environmental health team. They can inspect and serve notices on hazards, and this route exists now - you do not need to wait for Awaab's Law to be extended. If you are in social housing, you can escalate to the Housing Ombudsman after going through the landlord's own complaints process. Meanwhile, reduce moisture where you can: use extractor fans, open windows briefly after showers and cooking, keep lids on pans, and avoid drying washing indoors on radiators where possible. This is damage limitation, not a fix. Persistent damp in a rented home is a repair issue, not a lifestyle issue, and you should not let anyone tell you otherwise. And if you want to influence the rules themselves, the consultation is open until 18 December 2026. Tenants, landlords and agents can all respond. Deadlines like this pass quietly, and the people who respond are the people whose experience shapes the regulations.
What to know
On 8 October 2026 the government opened a consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private renters in England, and asked whether it should also cover temporary accommodation for homeless households, accommodation for care leavers, and some supported housing. It closes on 18 December 2026. Awaab's Law sets legal deadlines for landlords to investigate and fix serious hazards. Phase 1 took effect for social housing on 31 October 2025, covering severe damp and mould. Phase 2, covering electrical hazards, excess cold and falls, is scheduled for 30 November 2026 subject to parliamentary approval. Phase 3 follows in 2027. The law currently protects over 4 million social housing households. The proposals could take that to around 9 million - over 5 million more. England has about 11 million private renters, and the government says around one in 10 private rented homes has a category 1 hazard. Breaches can attract fines of up to £7,000 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which contains the power to extend the duty at section 60. Nothing has changed for private renters yet. No start date or repair deadlines for the private sector have been set. Private renters do not need to wait, though: councils' environmental health teams can act on serious hazards now. Sources: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, "Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families", 8 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/clampdown-on-dangerous-homes-to-protect-more-tenants-and-families ; Inside Housing, "Government launches consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private sector and temporary accommodation", 8 October 2026, https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/home/government-launches-consultation-on-extending-awaabs-law-to-private-sector-and-temporary-accommodation-99070 ; Landlord Today, "Awaab's Law to apply to private rental sector - government launches consultation", October 2026, https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2026/10/awaabs-law-to-apply-to-private-rental-sector-government-launches-consultation/ This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional, or from a qualified housing adviser.
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