Government opens consultation to extend Awaab's Law to private and supported housing
The government is consulting on extending Awaab's Law, which forces social landlords to fix damp and mould, to private rented and supported housing, covering about 9 million homes.
The Full Story
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The government has opened a consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private rented and supported housing. The move would broaden a legal duty that currently applies to social landlords, after the law came into force in October last year.
Awaab's Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition linked to damp and mould in his home. His family had spent three years trying to get landlords to deal with the problem, and after his death his parents campaigned for change.
Under the existing rules, social landlords must deal with damp and mould within strict timeframes. They must also deal with emergency hazards within 24 hours. The law applies to about 4 million social housing homes.
The proposed extension would take in private rented homes and supported housing, including accommodation for vulnerable people, care leavers and homeless families. The government estimates this would more than double the reach of the law to about 9 million homes.
The next step is a government consultation. Ministers intend that the extended rules will then come into force, affecting many more tenants. The government says the law is already driving up standards for families and that the change will ensure more people have decent, safe housing. The plan has been broadly welcomed by organisations including Crisis and the Renters' Reform Coalition.
Enforcement would rely on civil penalties. Councils could take action against landlords, and fines could reach £40,000. The consultation means the extension is not yet in force, but the scope and likely penalties have now been set out.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Landlords could face civil penalties of up to £40,000. | |
| The government is considering extending Awaab's Law to private rented homes and supported housing. | |
| The proposed extension would more than double Awaab's Law's reach to around 9 million homes. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News treated the announcement as positive news for private tenants living with mould. Its correspondent gave a detailed explainer on Awaab's Law, its origins, how it works in social housing, and how far the extension would reach. The segment also stressed the consultation stage and the possibility of fines for landlords.
- “positive news for some private tenants who have to deal with mouldy accommodation”
- “required social landlords to deal with damper mould Within strict timeframes”
- “you could end up with a fine as a landlord It can be up to £40,000”
Broadcast Timeline
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