Awaab’s Law & the Repair Blitz: What It Means for UK Social Housing Contractors in 2026

Earlier this year, a major legislative change took effect in the UK social housing sector — the first phase of Awaab’s Law. Designed to improve tenant safety and quality of living conditions, these new regulations have significant implications for contractors delivering repair and refurbishment works across social homes.

What Awaab’s Law Changes:
The law tightens deadlines for landlords to fix serious hazards, including:

• Life-threatening hazards must be repaired within 24 hours

• Serious damp and mould must be investigated within 10 working days

• Homes must be safe within 5 days

• Written evidence sent to tenants within 3 days

Future phases are expected to cover other hazards such as cold, heat, and electrical risks.

What This Means for Contractors:
For contractors working in social housing, these changes create both challenges and opportunities:

• Higher demand for skilled trades – plasterers, damp specialists, carpenters, electricians, decorators, and more

• Faster response times – projects will need to be mobilised more quickly than ever

• Increased compliance scrutiny – documentation, reporting, and evidence of work will be under closer examination

• Capacity planning becomes critical – contractors must forecast workloads and have the right teams ready to avoid delays

Strategic Advice for Main Contractors:
To navigate these new requirements successfully:

• Build a vetted subcontractor roster now

• Invest in rapid survey and mobilisation teams

• Document compliance thoroughly – tenant reports, fix times, test results

• Forecast spikes in work based on enforcement timelines

How Empower Consulting Can Help:
At Empower Consulting, we support contractors across the UK by providing quick access to vetted, compliant subcontractor teams, helping programmes stay on track and output remain consistent. If your teams need scalable subcontractor resource to meet the requirements of Awaab’s Law, we can help.

🔗 Learn more: www.empowerconsulting.co.uk