Awaab’s Law
On this page, you’ll find more information about Awaab’s Law and what the regulations mean for Ongo, and for you.
Awaab’s Law – what it means for you
Awaab’s Law is a new legal requirement for social landlords in England. It sets strict timeframes for investigating and fixing serious hazards in social homes, especially damp and mould. It was introduced to make sure tenants are protected and that problems which could affect health and safety are dealt with quickly.
Contact us straight away if you think there is a serious hazard in your home, such as: significant damp or mould, a risk of electric shock, gas or fire safety concerns, or anything else that could seriously affect your health or safety. You can report issues via our website, by phone, by email or in person – whichever is easiest for you.
When you report a hazard, we will log your report, assess whether it is an emergency or a significant hazard, and explain what happens next. We will arrange an investigation within the required timescales and give you a written summary of what we found, what needs to be done, and when the work will be carried out. Our aim is to make your home safe as soon as possible and to prevent the problem from coming back.
If we cannot make your home safe within the required time, we may need to offer you suitable temporary accommodation at no extra cost while we complete the works. We will work with you to find an option that meets your needs and keep the time you spend away from home as short as possible.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your report or our response under Awaab’s Law, you can make a complaint through our complaints process. If you are still unhappy after our final response, you can escalate your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, an independent service that looks at social housing complaints.
The government provides Awaab’s Law tenant guidance in several languages and formats, including translated versions and a British Sign Language video. If you need our information in another format or language, please tell us and we will do our best to provide it in a way that works for you.
Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law
- Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law starts on 30 November 2026 and extends the rules beyond damp and mould and emergency hazards.
- From this date, the same strict investigation and repair timeframes will also apply to other serious hazards in social housing.
Extra hazards covered in Phase 2
- Phase 2 covers significant hazards linked to: excess cold (e.g. homes that are too cold in winter) and excess heat. It also includes falls (on level surfaces, on stairs and between levels), structural problems, fire and explosions, electrical hazards, and hygiene issues such as pests, drainage, sanitation and food safety.
- If any of these hazards present a significant risk of harm, we must treat them in line with Awaab’s Law deadlines in the same way as damp and mould.
What Phase 2 means for you
- When you report one of these hazards, we will triage it to decide if it is an emergency hazard (needing action within 24 hours) or a significant hazard (needing investigation within 10 working days and safety work within 5 working days of the investigation finishing).
- If we cannot make your home safe within the timeframes, we may need to offer you suitable temporary accommodation while we complete the work.
- Our repairs, inspections and communication processes are being updated now so we are ready for Phase 2 and can clearly explain what we will do and when, for every type of hazard Awaab’s Law covers.