Awaab’s Law

What is Awaab’s Law?

Awaab’s Law is government legislation which sets out to improve safety in social housing, following the tragic death of two year old Awaab Ishak in 2020. Awaab’s Law takes effect from 27 October 2025.

What Awaab’s Law means to you

The regulations mean that Ongo (and all other social housing providers) must:

• Investigate any potential emergency hazards and, if the investigation confirms emergency hazards, undertake relevant safety work as soon as reasonably practicable, both within 24 hours of becoming aware of them.
• Investigate any potential significant hazards within 10 working days of becoming aware of them.
• Produce a written summary of investigation findings and provide this to the named tenant within 3 working days of the conclusion of the investigation.
• Undertake relevant safety work within 5 working days of the investigation concluding, if the investigation identifies a significant hazard.
• Begin, or take steps to begin, any further required works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding, if the investigation identifies a significant or emergency hazard. If steps cannot be taken to begin work in 5 working days this must be done as soon as possible, and work must be physically started within 12 weeks.
• Satisfactorily complete works within a reasonable time period.
• Secure the provision of suitable alternative accommodation for the household, at Ongo’s expense, if relevant safety work cannot be completed within specified timeframes.
• Keep the named tenant updated throughout the process and provide information on how to keep safe.

Exceptions to required works

Required works are subject to limited exceptions, including:

• If the significant or emergency hazard results from damage by accidents or ‘acts of god’ (e.g. fires, storms, floods), from which Ongo is already exempt from repair obligations under existing legislation.
• If Ongo cannot lawfully carry out the works due to a lack of approval, for example if they have not been able to get building control approval from the local authority or Building Safety Regulator or any other approval required before undertaking the work, for example from the freeholder of the building.
• If Ongo cannot, for another reason, lawfully carry out the works.
• If the tenant is liable for the work by virtue of their duty to use the premises in a tenant-like manner (or equivalent express covenant).
• Any work to repair or maintain anything that the tenant is entitled to remove from the property e.g. white goods belonging to the tenant.