What counts as social housing?
Social housing includes accommodation made available for rent below the market rate, typically by local authorities, housing associations, and other registered providers. It is intended for people whose needs are not met by the commercial housing market.
Key landlord duties
From 27 October 2025, the Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 introduced strict timeframes for landlords to identify and rectify health hazards. Key duties include:
- Investigating emergency hazards within 24 hours of becoming aware of the issue.
- Carrying out necessary safety work within 24 hours of identifying an emergency hazard.
- Investigating significant hazards within 10 working days of becoming aware of them.
- Providing tenants with a written summary of findings within 3 working days of concluding the investigation.
- Completing safety work within 5 working days if a significant hazard is confirmed.
Updated Government guidance
The government has published supporting guidance covering:
- Hazard investigation processes
- Emergency repair expectations
- Property safety and preventative work
- Securing suitable alternative accommodation
This regulation is also known as Awaab’s Law, named in memory of a 2-year-old child who died from respiratory failure after exposure to mould in his home.
Future expansion of the rules
From 2026, the government plans to expand the list of hazards to include:
- Excess cold and heat
- Falls (baths, level surfaces, stairs, between levels)
- Structural collapse and explosions
- Fire and electrical hazards
- Domestic hygiene and food safety risks