Second phase of Awaab's Law laid before Parliament

The Chartered Institute of Housing welcomes the government's publication of the Phase 2 regulations for Awaab's Law, formally laid before Parliament today. These new legal duties will come into force from 30 November 2026, applying to all registered providers of social housing in England.

Phase 2 is delivered by the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations, made under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, and published alongside updated statutory guidance.

Building on the first phase, which came into force in October 2025 and covered damp and mould, Phase 2 extends Awaab's Law to a wider set of hazards, requiring landlords to take more effective and consistent action to keep residents safe.

What the regulations cover

Phase 2 brings the following hazards within the scope of Awaab's Law:

• Excess cold
• Excess heat
• Falls
• Fire and explosions
• Electrical hazards
• Domestic hygiene and pests
• Structural collapse.

Alongside the regulations, the government has published updated guidance to support landlords and residents in how the hazards are assessed and dealt with.

The guidance includes a number of welcome additions, including:

• Clearer definitions of what constitutes a significant and an emergency hazard
• An example template for the written summary landlords must provide to residents
• Updated guidance on access to homes and how access issues can be handled
• More on the expectations around communication with residents
• Additional process diagrams to support triage and decision-making
• A significantly expanded set of case studies to help landlords apply the guidance in practice
• A collaborative, test-and-learn approach.

This represents an emerging policy area, and we welcome the government's recognition that this is an area where the sector and government will need to learn together. As with Phase 1, government has confirmed it will take a test-and-learn approach to implementation and welcomes ongoing feedback to help refine the guidance as it beds in.

We appreciate that bringing seven hazards into scope simultaneously is a significant step and that there will be learning for the whole sector as the regulations and guidance are applied in practice.

We are committed to continuing an open and honest dialogue with government and the sector throughout the test-and-learn period, so that it delivers for residents and landlords in practice.

Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, commented on the announcement:

"The extension of Awaab's Law to these hazards is an important step towards safer, healthier homes for social housing residents. We welcome the collaborative approach government has taken, and the improvements made to the guidance in response to the sector's input.

“This is a significant and complex undertaking and getting it right in practice will require continued partnership among government, landlords, residents, and sector bodies. CIH is committed to supporting our members to understand and deliver these new duties, and to feeding back openly throughout the test-and-learn phase so the guidance continues to improve.

“As a person-centred piece of policy this is more than compliance; it is also about a culture of listening and acting on residents' concerns, and that is the work still ahead of us."

What comes next

This marks Phase 2 of a three-part implementation. Next steps include:

• Phase 3 (expected in 2027) will extend to the remaining HHSRS hazards, except overcrowding
• Government will continue to work with the sector through the test-and-learn approach to refine the guidance.

Support for members

CIH will continue to support housing professionals in preparing for and delivering Phase 2. We'll review the full guidance and publish a detailed summary for members shortly. We will also:

• Create updated resources on the Phase 2 hazards
• Provide space for feedback and shared learning through our communities of practice
• Work with government on behalf of members as the guidance evolves through test-and-learn
• Highlight good practice and practical implementation tools across the sector.