Awaab's Law Consultation for Private Landlords: Respond by 18 December 2026

The Awaab's Law consultation for the private rented sector is open until 11:59pm on 18 December 2026. Awaab's Law already sets legal deadlines for social landlords to investigate and fix serious hazards such as damp and mould, and the government has said it will be extended to private rented tenancies. This consultation asks how. For London landlords it is the best chance to shape the deadlines they will one day work to, and a clear signal to get repair records in order now.

What the Awaab's Law consultation covers

The government published Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences on 9 October 2026. It applies to England and has three parts:

• Part 1: applying Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies.
• Part 2: applying it to accommodation occupied under licence, including supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and accommodation for care leavers.
• Part 3: the impacts and costs, with a final question open to everyone.

The government says the responses will help decide how the law is introduced for private renters, including when the new protections come into force. No start date for the private rented sector has been set.

What Awaab's Law already requires of social landlords

The social housing rules are the model the consultation starts from. Since 27 October 2025 social landlords must deal with damp and mould that poses a significant risk of harm, and with all emergency hazards, to these deadlines:

• investigate within 10 working days of becoming aware of a potential hazard;
• give the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation ending;
• make the home safe within 5 working days of the investigation ending;
• act on emergency hazards within 24 hours; and
• begin, or take steps to begin, further repair work within 5 working days, and physically start within 12 weeks.

The government's plan for social housing adds further hazards in 2026, including excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire, electrical hazards, explosions and hygiene, and the remaining significant hazards in 2027. The private rented sector deadlines may differ: that is exactly what the consultation is asking.

How to respond to the Awaab's Law consultation

Responses close at 11:59pm on 18 December 2026. You can respond:

• online, through the consultation page on gov.uk;
• by email to [email protected]; or
• by post to Awaab's Law Consultation, Private Rented Sector Strategy, Security and Standards Division, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 3rd Floor, Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.

Landlords are well placed to answer the questions on how long access, contractor booking and leasehold building works really take in London. Evidence from your own repair history carries weight.

What London landlords can do now

1. Log every damp, mould or leak report with the date you heard about it.
2. Record when it was inspected, what was found and when it was fixed.
3. Keep the tenant updated in writing, so the record shows the timeline.
4. Use inspections to catch early condensation and ventilation problems.
5. Check how quickly your contractors can attend, because response times will matter.

How AIHPG manages repairs

For managed properties we log each repair report, arrange attendance through our in-house teams, and keep the dated record from first report to completion. When Awaab's Law reaches the private rented sector, that record is what shows a landlord acted on time. Our compliance calendar covers the routine checks that prevent damp problems in the first place.