Phase 2 update

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Awaab's Law statutory clocks: what English social landlords must evidence and when

Track awareness, route selection, investigation, written-summary, safety-work, alternative-accommodation, and supplementary-work evidence without claiming legal outcomes.

Theo Chavannes
Founder, Chavannes Ltd
Chavannes Ltd

Theo Chavannes is a London-based software and ML engineer building source-linked workflow and evidence tools for regulated UK teams.

Author note: this author profile is not a solicitor profile and does not provide legal advice.

Short answer

For the first Awaab's Law phase in force from 27 October 2025, English social landlords should evidence when they became aware of the issue, the route chosen, investigation timing, written-summary timing, relevant safety works, emergency make-safe actions, any alternative accommodation offer, and any supplementary preventative-work plan. This guide is operational evidence guidance, not legal advice.

Clock evidence table

First-phase statutory-clock evidence to preserve
Trigger or route Timeframe to evidence Records to keep
Potential emergency hazard Investigation and make-safe route within 24 hours where applicable. Awareness record, triage reason, attendance record, make-safe outcome.
Potential significant damp and mould hazard Investigation within 10 working days of awareness. Report intake, inspection booking, inspection result, source notes.
Confirmed significant hazard Written summary within 3 working days of investigation conclusion unless the exception for completed work applies. Summary sent record, recipient/channel, investigation findings.
Relevant safety works required Relevant safety works within 5 working days where required. Works order, completion evidence, contractor notes, resident update.
Works cannot make the home safe in time Alternative accommodation offer evidence where the route requires it. Offer, suitability notes, resident response, escalation decision.
Supplementary preventative works Steps to begin within 5 working days, with physical start no later than 12 weeks where that later route applies. Plan, approvals, contractor booking, physical-start evidence.

Working-day nuance

Treat working-day clocks as source-sensitive. Preserve the awareness timestamp, business-day calculation, due date, completion timestamp, and the reason for any no-access or dependency delay. EvidenceTrail can show at-risk and overdue states, but it does not decide legal compliance.

FAQ

Does an at-risk flag mean a breach has happened?

No. It is an operational warning that the evidence team should check the source record, due date, and next action before the clock becomes overdue.

Should no-access records stop the clock automatically?

No. Keep neutral no-access evidence and review the source guidance before making any legal or complaint-handling judgement.

Sources checked

  1. GOV.UK Awaab's Law guidance for social landlords Jurisdiction/scope: England
  2. The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025 Jurisdiction/scope: England
  3. Housing Ombudsman Awaab's Law learning resources Jurisdiction/scope: England

Review sign-off

  • Humanizer: PASS
  • Legal-safety: PASS
  • SME: PASS
  • External solicitor review: NOT OBTAINED

EvidenceTrail supports evidence gathering and operational review. It does not guarantee legal compliance, regulator acceptance, Ombudsman findings, or litigation outcomes.