New safety rules for social rented housing will come into force in the autumn, and tenants of housing associations and social landlords are being urged to find out about the new rights that they will have.
In October, the new safety requirements will come into force under what is known as Awaab’s law – named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 after prolonged exposure to damp and mould in his home.
Under the new rules, social landlords will have to respond and carry out repairs within a set time if tenants contact them about safety issues or emergencies in their properties.
In addition, from November, social landlords will also need to inspect and test the electrics in their properties at least every five years and carry out any repairs that are needed.
Councillor Jabba Riaz, Chair of Worcester City Council’s Communities Committee, said: “This is great news for tenants, who will now have more rights than ever.
“Awaab’s Law and the new electrical safety rules mean that tenants will be able to raise the flag if they have any concerns about dangerous wiring, mouldy patches on the walls, broken windows and many other hazards.
“And the really great thing is that landlords cannot simply ignore or dismiss tenants’ concerns – they will have to respond within a legally set time limit.
“I would encourage tenants who have safety concerns to raise their worries through their landlords’ complaints systems, and if they are not satisfied with the response to then go to the Housing Ombudsman.”
The requirements that social landlords will have to fulfil when phase one of Awaab’s Law comes into force in October are as follows:
- If a social landlord becomes aware of a matter or circumstance in a social home that may be a hazard within the scope of the new law, they must investigate within ten working days to confirm if there is a hazard
- The social landlord must produce a written summary of the findings of the investigation and provide this to residents within three working days of the investigation concluding
- If the investigation finds that a hazard presents a significant risk of harm to the health or safety of a resident, the social landlord must, within five working days of the investigation concluding, make the property safe and begin any other work needed to stop the problem coming back as soon as possible, and no later than 12 weeks after the end of the investigation
- In an emergency situation, the social landlord must investigate and make any emergency repairs as soon as reasonably practicable and, in any event, within 24 hours
- If the property cannot be made safe within the specified timescales for Awaab’s Law, then the social landlord must offer to arrange for the residents to stay in suitable alternative accommodation, at the social landlord’s expense, until it is safe to return.
The scope of Awaab’s Law will be expanded further when phases two and three come into force in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
The new electrical safety requirements that come into force in November will require all landlords to inspect and test electrical installations in their properties at least every five years and to carry out any works that are found to be necessary.
These requirements are already in place for private landlords, but social landlords will also be required to inspect and test any electrical appliance that they provide as part of a tenancy. Many social landlords are known to already meet this standard.
There will be a national campaign in the autumn to raise awareness of Awaab’s Law and the new electrical safety rules, which Worcester City Council will be actively supporting.
