Written statement on Health and Safety Hazards in Social Housing: ‘Awaab’s Law’ and Electrical Safety Requirements - June 25

Deputy Prime Minister, and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner): The government is clear that homes must, above all, be safe. Safety is non-negotiable, and landlords must take urgent action to respond to issues when they arise. We want housing providers to put the people who live in their homes at the heart of their mission, approaching their relationships with tenants with care and professionalism so that mutual trust and respect is established. While many landlords do deliver effectively for their tenants, we know this isn't always the case, and in some circumstances tenants have felt completely let down. As such, establishing clear standards and requirements of social landlords, and timelines to meet those requirements, will eliminate uncertainty for both tenants and landlords helping to ensure all tenants can live in the safe homes they deserve.

To this end, the government is today introducing two important pieces of safety legislation. ‘Awaab's Law', laid in Parliament today, will put in place clear protections for tenants by making sure dangerous damp and mould and emergency hazards are addressed quickly. New electrical safety regulations, also laid in Parliament today, will ensure electrical safety checks are carried out at least every five years in the social rented sector. We also want the courts to be prepared for these changes, and we are committed to working with Ministry of Justice on tackling claim farms to aid the justice system.

On 21 December 2020, two-year-old Awaab Ishak died as a result of a severe respiratory condition due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home. I pay heartfelt tribute to the resolute campaign that Awaab's parents have led in their son's name. Awaab's tragic death was entirely preventable and has brought to light the acute need for reform within the sector, to make sure that such a tragedy never happens again.

Awaab's Law is a crucial piece of legislation that will empower residents to hold registered providers of social housing to account by law if they fail to act on hazards in social homes and make them safe within set timescales. This law will ensure that the relationship between landlord and tenant is strengthened, that social landlords take tenants' concerns seriously, treat all residents with empathy and dignity and that tenants feel respected and heard.

The first phase of Awaab's Law will come into effect in October this year, covering damp and mould and all types of emergency hazards. Social landlords will have to respond to emergency hazards within 24 hours and there will be no excuse for delays. We are clear that protections must be in place to ensure we never see a repeat of this tragic case. Two further phases, which will extend the law to additional and then remaining hazards, will come into effect in 2026 and 2027 with corresponding regulation to be laid in due course.

I am determined to ensure this policy works effectively, creating a positive impact for all tenants and leaving a lasting legacy. As such, government will take a ‘test and learn' approach to implementing the policy. Over the coming months, we will closely monitor and evaluate the impact Awaab's Law is having; the effectiveness of the processes put in place to implement it and, will clarify or adapt our approach to deliver the best outcomes if we need to.

The requirements set by Awaab's Law are as follows:

o If a social landlord becomes aware of a matter or circumstance in a social home that may be a hazard within scope, they must investigate within 10 working days to ascertain if there is such a hazard.

o The social landlord must produce a written summary of the findings of the investigation (in most cases) and provide this to residents within 3 working days of the investigation concluding.

o If the investigation finds that a hazard presents a significant risk of harm to the health or safety of a resident, the social landlord must, in most circumstances, within 5 working days of the investigation concluding, make the property safe (using temporary measures if necessary) and begin any further required works. The social landlord must satisfactorily complete repair works within a reasonable time period.

o In an emergency situation, the social landlord must investigate and action any emergency repairs as soon as reasonably practicable and, in any event, within 24 hours.

o If the property cannot be made safe within the specified timescales for Awaab's Law, then the social landlord must offer to arrange for the residents to stay in suitable alternative accommodation, at the social landlord's expense, until required repairs are completed.

Social landlords should begin preparing for Phase 1 of Awaab's Law now and be thinking about steps needed to get ready for Phases 2 and 3. Tenant safety must remain paramount and landlords must continue to ensure that duties to keep homes fit for human habitation and free of category 1 hazards and to remedy disrepair continue to be met as Awaab's Law is phased in.

I am immensely grateful to all those across the sector who have engaged – through the public consultation, via membership organisations or otherwise – to help make Awaab's Law as robust as possible. Many of you will see your feedback reflected in the final policy. It is my profound hope Awaab's Law provokes a cultural shift in the way social homes are managed by landlords and experienced by tenants, and that all social landlords will place the safety of residents as their priority.

Under Awaab's Law, where landlords do not meet their obligations by failing to comply with the new strict timelines for remedying hazards, tenants will be able to challenge them. They can seek to have poor housing conditions put right through their landlord's complaints process, the Housing Ombudsman, and through the courts by bringing a housing disrepair claim. To ensure that the system of redress remains fair, that vulnerable tenants are not exploited and that both tenants and landlords are not unfairly targeted by unscrupulous claims farming activity - the Minister for Housing and Planning and the Minister for Courts and Legal Services are today also announcing their intention to launch a Call for Evidence this year. Through this we will gather evidence on Claims Management Company referrals to solicitors on a no win no fee basis to seek views on current practices and consider how to reduce unscrupulous 'claims farming' activity in housing disrepair cases.

We will continue to protect consumers' interests by sharing insight on poor practices with the SRA and FCA to inform their work in regulating inappropriate behaviours and practices in the sector.

Our Make Things Right Campaign already informs tenants how they can use social housing complaints procedures and access the Housing Ombudsman Service. To ensure tenants continue to know their rights and are fully informed about the introduction of Awaab's Law, later this year the Make Things Right campaign will also include information on the new requirements, and we will publish guidance for tenants on Awaab's Law, when it comes into force in October 2025.

Alongside Awaab's Law the government is driving transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing by improving electrical safety so tenants can feel safe in their homes.

We know that poor electrical safety can have devastating effects and can cost lives. The Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed the lives of 72 men, women and children, was started by an electrical fault in a fridge-freezer. It is vital that we act to keep social housing residents safe from electrical harm.

In 2022, the previous government carried out a consultation inviting views on proposals to introduce mandatory checks on electrical installations at least every five years; ensure parity between the rented sectors in respect of safety standards; and requiring mandatory portable appliance testing on all electrical appliances provided by social landlords.

This government is now acting to bring this crucial safety measure into force and to protect social housing residents from harm. That is why we are laying regulations in Parliament today that will require social landlords to carry out:

• Checks on electrical installations for social housing at least every five years; and
• In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISIT) on all electrical appliances they provide as part of a tenancy (sometimes known as ‘PAT testing').

The statutory instruments and consultation responses for both policies will be published on GOV.UK and copies will be deposited in the Library of both Houses.