Keeping residents safe in their homes
Everyone deserves to live in a safe, secure home. Awaab's Law sets clear legal requirements for social landlords to investigate and respond to serious hazards in residents' homes within specific timescales.
The law was introduced following the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, whose family repeatedly reported concerns about damp and mould in their home. It aims to ensure that serious health and safety risks are addressed quickly and effectively.
What is a hazard?
Awaab's law covers a wider range of potentially serious risks of harm to the health or safety of residents, that have arisen as a result of a defect, disrepair or lack of maintenance to a property.
Examples of hazards include:
- Damp and mould
- Fire hazards and explosions risk
- Electrical hazards
- Structural collapse risk
- Falling elements from a building
- Gas leaks, uncombusted fuel and carbon monoxide exposure
- Asbestos exposure
- Emergency fall hazards, such as collapsed stair treads
- Excess cold and excess heat
- Domestic hygiene, pets and refuse
Hazards may be classed as Emergency or Significant.
Whether a hazard is considered an emergency will depend on the circumstances, including the condition of the property and the potential risk to residents.
More information on hazards
A significant hazard is a problem in your home that presents a significant risk to your health or safety and needs action. Under Awaab's Law, landlords must take steps to make significant hazards safe within 5 days of becoming aware of them.
An emergency hazard is a problem in your home that presents an imminent and significant risk to your health or safety and needs urgent action. Under Awaab's Law, landlords must take steps to make emergency hazards safe within 24 hours of becoming aware of them.
Timescales for resolving hazards
- Emergency hazards should be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
- Significant hazards should be investigated within 10 working days and made safe within a further five days.
- A written outcome should be provided to the resident within three working days of the investigation. Where further follow up or preventative works are also required these should be started within a further five working days.
Need to report a concern?
Your local manager, is best placed to help you.
If the problem arises when your manager is not available, such as on a weekend, you can find contact details for an alternative manager on your noticeboard.
In the event of an emergency repair you can contact Appello by pushing your emergency button, pressing your wearable pendant, or call: 0333 3216450