First phase of Awaab's Law and electrical safety regulations laid before parliament

The Chartered Institute of Housing welcomes the government’s publication of the Phase 1 regulations for Awaab’s Law and electrical safety in social housing, formally laid before Parliament today [Wednesday 25 June 2025]. These new legal duties will come into force from October 2025, applying to all registered providers of social housing in England. 

The new rules will require landlords to take faster, more consistent action when serious hazards are identified in tenants’ homes, as outlined in the formal letter from the minister to sector stakeholder dated 25 June 2025.

What the regulations cover 

From October 2025, social landlords will be required to: 

• Investigate potential hazards (including damp and mould) within 10 working days
• Provide a written summary of findings within three working days of concluding the investigation
• If a hazard presents a significant risk to health or safety, take appropriate action within five working days – including making the property safe (using temporary measures if needed) and beginning any required repair works within a reasonable time
• For emergency hazards, act as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours
• Offer suitable alternative accommodation if the property cannot be made safe within the required timeframe.

The new electrical safety regulations, also laid today, will require social landlords to:

• Carry out electrical installation checks at least every five years.
• Undertake regular in-service inspection and testing (ISIT) — commonly known as ‘PAT testing’ — for any electrical appliances provided under the tenancy.

Draft guidance and next steps

The new regulations are supported by draft statutory guidance, published alongside the legislation. Government has confirmed it will take a test and learn approach to implementation and welcomes feedback to help finalise the guidance.

These new duties will be enforceable through tenancy law. Where landlords fail to meet their obligations, tenants will be able to seek redress if these duties are not met.

The government’s consultation response and the draft guidance provide welcome and practical detail on how the new requirements will work in practice. CIH will consider these in full and publish additional guidance for members in the coming days.

What comes next

• This marks Phase 1 of a three-part implementation
• Phase 2 (expected in 2026) will cover further hazards such as excess cold, fire risks, and falls
• Phase 3 (expected in 2027) will extend to all remaining HHSRS hazards, except overcrowding
• A new consultation and call for evidence on electrical safety in the social rented sector
• A separate call for evidence on claims management practices is expected later in 2025
• Cladding remediation continues to be addressed through a separate programme.

CIH contributed to both government consultations underpinning these reforms. Our full consultation responses can be found here:

• CIH response to the Awaab’s Law consultation
• CIH response to the electrical safety consultation in the social rented sector

Rachael Williamson, director of policy, communications and external affairs, welcomed the announcement, commenting: 

“This is a welcome and necessary step towards making social housing safer, healthier, and more responsive to residents. The regulations give landlords clear expectations, and they give residents clarity and recourse. We note that government has taken an evidence-based, phased approach, informed by engagement with residents and landlords. This should support readiness and practical implementation.”

Support for members

CIH will continue to support housing professionals to deliver on Awaab’s Law. We’ll review the full guidance and publish a detailed summary for members shortly. We will also:

• Create updated resources on damp and mould regulations
• Provide space for feedback through our communities of practice
• Work with government on behalf of members as guidance evolves
• Highlight good practice and implementation tools across the sector