UK comparison

Similar numbers. Different duties.

The stage, trigger, tenancy and hazard matter as much as the number of days. Compare the frameworks without treating their response periods as interchangeable.

Official sources checked 27 Sep 2026. Review due — check the original sources before relying on this status.

On a smaller screen, scroll the table horizontally. Full accessible nation pages are linked in each column.

Comparison of scope, status and response stages as checked on 27 Sep 2026
What to compare	England ↗	Scotland ↗	Wales ↗	Northern Ireland ↗
Framework	Awaab’s Law in social housing	A separate Scottish Awaab’s Law	WHQS hazard-response requirements	Fitness standards and housing quality reform
Status at this check	Phase 1 in force Phase 1 in force. Phase 2 intended for 30 November 2026; approval pending. Official references MHCLG — Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector Source record UK legislation — Hazards in Social Housing Regulations 2025 — SI 2025/1042 Source record UK legislation — Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — section 10A Source record MHCLG — Phase 1: guidance for social landlords Source record MHCLG — Phase 2: guidance for social landlords Source record UK Parliament — Phase 2 amendment regulations — parliamentary tracker Source record	Commences 6 October 2026 Different legislation. Different repair milestones. Official references Scottish Government — Awaab’s Law: guidance for landlords in Scotland Source record Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — scope and required timescales Source record Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — repair work Source record Scottish Government — Awaab’s Law: guidance for tenants in Scotland Source record Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — enforcement Source record	In effect from 1 April 2026 Wales uses its own housing quality framework. Official references Welsh Government — WHQS addendum: Responding to Hazards Source record Welsh Government — Fitness of homes for human habitation Source record	Separate existing framework Do not apply an English or Scottish timetable here. Official references Department for Communities — Minimum fitness standards Source record Department for Communities — Revised Decent Homes Standard consultation Source record
Landlord / tenancy coverage	Relevant social tenancies let by registered providers, including councils and housing associations. Not a blanket rule for all rented homes. Licences, long leases and shared ownership are not automatically covered by this social-tenancy regime. Private-rental reforms and other repair duties need separate checks. Official references MHCLG — Phase 1: guidance for social landlords Source record UK legislation — Hazards in Social Housing Regulations 2025 — SI 2025/1042 Source record MHCLG — Awaab’s Law: guidance for tenants in social housing Source record	Accommodation within the Scottish Right to Repair Scheme or Repairing Standard: social tenancies and much of the private rented sector, with statutory exclusions. Coverage depends on the tenancy and legislative route. The guidance separately discusses temporary accommodation and Gypsy/Traveller sites. Check the official scope rather than assuming every occupancy agreement is included. Official references Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — scope and required timescales Source record Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — repair work Source record	The WHQS responding-to-hazards rule is for social housing. Wider fitness duties under the Renting Homes framework are a separate consideration for rented homes. The WHQS rule has a specific social-housing scope and landlord-control conditions. Other housing, fitness, safety and repair obligations are not displaced. Official references Welsh Government — WHQS addendum: Responding to Hazards Source record	Existing Northern Ireland housing fitness and landlord repair frameworks. The proposed revised Decent Homes Standard is a separate social-housing reform. Avoid treating consultation proposals or another nation’s standards as Northern Ireland law. Official references Department for Communities — Minimum fitness standards Source record Department for Communities — Revised Decent Homes Standard consultation Source record
Response stages	Emergency hazards As soon as reasonably practicable; investigation and relevant safety work both within 24 hours of awareness. Potential significant damp/mould Investigation within 10 working days of awareness. Investigation summary Provide within 3 working days of the investigation concluding, subject to the Regulations’ exceptions. Significant hazard: safety work Within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Prevent recurrence Begin or take steps to begin within 5 working days; physical start as soon as reasonably practicable and within 12 weeks. Complete within a reasonable period. Alternative accommodation Secure suitable accommodation at the landlord’s expense when the relevant safety work cannot be completed within the required timeframe. Official references MHCLG — Phase 1: guidance for social landlords Source record UK legislation — Hazards in Social Housing Regulations 2025 — SI 2025/1042 Source record MHCLG — Awaab’s Law: guidance for tenants in social housing Source record	Investigate damp or mould A competent person investigates within 10 working days of awareness. Written findings Summary to the tenant or representative within 3 working days after investigation concludes. Substantial damp/mould: start repairs Commence repair work within 5 working days after the investigation concludes. Social-landlord completion Complete within a maximum of 20 working days from repair commencement. Private-landlord completion Complete as soon as reasonably practicable; no equivalent blanket 20-working-day maximum. Exceptional circumstances The Scottish provisions require notification, reasons, a revised timeframe and reasonable interim steps where compliance is prevented by circumstances beyond the landlord’s control. Official references Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — scope and required timescales Source record Scottish Government — Scottish guidance — repair work Source record	Significant risk with imminent harm Investigate within 24 hours; remedy within a further 24 hours. Make-safe work should be as soon as possible. Significant risk without imminent harm Investigate within 10 working days; remedy within a further 5 working days. Where timely remedy is not possible On the assumption of best endeavours, provide the required written summary plan within 5 working days. This is not a general exemption from action. Reporting The addendum includes quarterly and detailed WHQS compliance reporting requirements. Official references Welsh Government — WHQS addendum: Responding to Hazards Source record	Awaab-style fixed deadlines No equivalent timetable established by the official sources listed here. What to check instead The tenancy, applicable fitness and repair duties, the landlord’s repairs service and subsequent official guidance. Official references Department for Communities — Minimum fitness standards Source record Department for Communities — Revised Decent Homes Standard consultation Source record
Do not confuse	These are maximum response periods, not permission to delay. Triage is not an extra grace period. A formal complaint is not required to report a hazard.	Faster duties under other legislation still apply. Do not import England’s emergency or accommodation rules into Scotland. A mould wash alone may not address the underlying cause.	The Welsh imminent-harm rule is not England’s single 24-hour investigation-and-make-safe clock. Read the addendum’s definitions and conditions before using a deadline.	A missing Awaab-style timetable is not an absence of housing duties. Do not display “not applicable” in a way that suggests serious disrepair can be ignored.

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