In four weeks' time, Awaab's Law stops being "the damp and mould law". From 30 November 2026, the legal deadlines that social landlords in England have worked to since October 2025 for damp and mould will extend to a much wider set of hazards – and fire and explosions are on the list.
The amending regulations were laid before Parliament in July and MHCLG has published Phase 2 guidance. If you manage council or housing association homes, now is the time to get your repairs, compliance and fire safety teams working from the same playbook.
What changes on 30 November
According to the government's Phase 2 guidance, Awaab's Law will apply to all emergency hazards (except overcrowding) and to the following hazards where they present a significant risk of harm:
- damp and mould
- excess cold and excess heat
- falls (on the level, on stairs and between levels)
- structural collapse
- fire and explosions
- electrical hazards
- domestic hygiene (including pests)
The key timescales in the guidance are:
- Emergency hazards: investigate and complete the work needed to make the home safe within 24 hours of becoming aware.
- Significant hazards: investigate within 10 working days, give the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation ending, and complete relevant safety work within 5 working days of the investigation ending.
- Further preventative work: start, or take steps to start, within 5 working days – or, where that isn't reasonably practicable, as soon as it is and within 12 weeks.
- If the home can't be made safe in time, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation at its own expense.
The rules apply to registered providers of social housing – local authorities and housing associations. They do not apply to the private rented sector, long leaseholds or shared ownership.
Where fire fits – and where it doesn't
The guidance draws a deliberate line between Awaab's Law and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005:
- Communal areas are excluded. Fire hazards in parts of a building already covered by the Fire Safety Order – the guidance gives damaged fire doors and blocked escape routes in communal areas as examples – fall outside Awaab's Law. They should be reported to, and dealt with by, the Responsible Person under the Order.
- Inside the home is in scope. Awaab's Law does apply to fire hazards within individual flats and houses that the Fire Safety Order does not cover. The guidance's own example is broken or missing smoke alarms.
- Cladding is excluded. That remains a matter for the Fire Safety Order and Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
- Residential evacuation plans are excluded. Work required under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 isn't treated as Awaab's Law work, and the guidance says those plans should not be rushed to meet Awaab's Law deadlines.
- Repairs mustn't create new fire risks. The guidance warns, for example, that ventilation work to tackle damp must not damage compartmentation, and that tenants should be told if temporary repairs affect fire safety systems such as smoke alarm coverage or escape routes.
Remember that the Fire Safety Act 2021 confirmed the Fire Safety Order covers the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors of multi-occupied residential buildings. So a defect with a flat entrance door sits firmly in your Fire Safety Order duties – and you will want a clear internal rule on how such reports are routed so that nothing falls between two regimes.
What this means for you
Housing associations and councils will need triage processes that can tell, quickly, whether a fire-related report is an Awaab's Law hazard (with a statutory clock running), a Fire Safety Order matter for the Responsible Person, or both.
Supported housing and care/support scheme providers should note that supported accommodation is within scope. Smoke and heat detection, cooking and electrical risks inside individual flats are exactly where Awaab's Law and your fire strategy now overlap.
Practical checklist before 30 November
- Map the boundary. Agree in writing which fire hazards go down the Awaab's Law route (inside dwellings) and which go to the Responsible Person (communal areas, flat entrance doors, structure).
- Train call handlers and operatives to recognise fire hazards – for example missing or faulty smoke alarms – and to escalate emergencies the same day.
- Check your smoke alarm data. Know which homes have alarms, their type and when they were last tested, so you can act fast when a fault is reported.
- Cross-reference your fire risk assessments. Outstanding actions affecting individual dwellings, and any action that depends on work inside flats, should be visible to the team managing Awaab's Law cases.
- Protect compartmentation during repairs. Make sure contractors know that new penetrations for vents, pipes and cables must be properly fire stopped.
- Keep records. The guidance stresses clear records of every step taken – they are your evidence if questions are asked later.
How Obelisk can help
Phase 2 is a good moment to check your fire risk assessments are current and your fire doors are in the condition you think they are. Obelisk Fire Safety carries out fire risk assessments to BS 9792:2025 for housing and PAS 79-1:2020 for other premises, along with fire door inspections and surveys, for social landlords, supported housing providers and HMOs nationwide, with a focus on the East Midlands and surrounding areas.
Get in touch on 07407 156178 or info@obeliskfire.co.uk.
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice.
Sources
- Awaab's Law Phase 2: Guidance for social landlords – GOV.UK (MHCLG)
- Awaab's Law Phase 2: Hazards guidance for social landlords – GOV.UK
- The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (draft) – legislation.gov.uk
- Second phase of Awaab's Law laid before Parliament – Chartered Institute of Housing
- Fire Safety Act 2021 – legislation.gov.uk