Keeping homes safe – what the next phase of Awaab’s Law means for you

Making sure our customers are safe in their homes is our top priority. Our Group Assistant Director for Building and Customer Safety, Andy Kennedy explains the next phase of Awaab’s Law.

Hi Andy, what is Awaab’s Law?  

Awaab’s Law was introduced following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak from respiratory issues after prolonged exposure to mould in his social Rochdale home. 

The law sets timescales for social housing providers to respond to emergency and significant hazards. Phase 1 focused on damp and mould and was introduced in October 2025, and phase 2 expands those same rules to other hazards from 30 November 2026.   

What issues does Phase 2 include?  

Phase 2 covers a range of significant health and safety hazards in customers’ homes where they are a result of a building issue. These include: 

• Homes that are too cold or too hot, for example because of poor insulation, broken heating or faulty windows 

• Trip and fall hazards, such as broken stairs, uneven flooring, damaged paths or missing handrails. 

• Structural problems, including concerns about the safety of walls, ceilings, roofs, balconies or issues caused by subsidence. 

• Fire and electrical safety issues, such as faulty wiring, missing smoke alarms or blocked escape routes. 

• Hygiene and sanitation problems, including blocked drains, sewage issues or problems with washing and toilet facilities. 

• Pest infestations, such as rats, mice or other pests in the home. 

Problems with damp and mould are also still covered by Awaab’s Law. 

How quickly will you fix the problem? 

If you contact us about a concern in your home, our trained teams will assess the issue and decide how quickly we need to act. We may ask questions about who lives in your home and any health conditions. This helps us understand how urgently the repair needs to be dealt with. 

If there’s an immediate risk, meaning something that could cause harm straight away, we’ll attend within 24 hours. If there’s a significant concern, meaning a serious problem that could affect your health or safety if it's not dealt with quickly, we'll investigate it within 10 working days. Other issues will be managed through our routine repairs service. 

From 30 November 2026, these response times will be a legal requirement for certain hazards under Awaab’s Law. After we’ve investigated the issue, depending on the outcome, we’ll also provide a written summary to the customer explaining what we’ve found, any work that's needed and what will happen next. 

How do I report concerns? 

Please report any repair, maintenance or safety concerns to us as soon as possible. You can do this through the My54North portal or call us on 0345 521 1993 or by emailing hello@54northhomes.co.uk.  

We’re available Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. If it’s outside of these hours, please call 0345 521 1993.

You don’t need to decide whether an issue is covered by Awaab’s Law. Once you report it, we’ll assess the problem, prioritise it and make sure it’s dealt with within the correct timescales. 

What happens after I report a concern? 

We’ll follow a clear process to make sure it is dealt with appropriately. 

1. Tell us about the problem: Contact us through one of the methods I’ve mentioned above, such as our customer portal.
2. We’ll assess the risk: Our trained teams will review the information you’ve provided and decide how quickly we need to respond. We may ask questions about who lives in your home and whether anyone might be more vulnerable to the issue.
3. We’ll inspect the issue: If we need to visit your home, we’ll arrange an inspection to understand the problem and decide what action is needed within the timescales. Depending on the issue, we may be able to resolve it straight away or arrange any follow-up work that’s required.
4. We’ll keep you updated: Following any inspection, we’ll provide a written summary of our findings, any work that needs doing and the timescales for completing it.
5. We’ll put things right: We’ll carry out any necessary repairs and keep you informed until the work is completed.

Are there any other phases of Awaab’s Law? 

Yes. A further phase of Awaab’s Law is planned by the Government for 2027 and is expected to introduce requirements covering more hazards in social housing. We’ll continue to update customers as these changes are introduced.