Retrofitting Homes: New Duties for Social Landlords and Quality Concerns in Insulation Works

The Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations, widely known as Awaab’s Law, came into force on 27 October 2025, introducing strict, enforceable timeframes for social landlords to tackle emergency hazards and serious issues such as damp and mould.

Under the new requirements: 

• Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe as soon as reasonably practicable, and within 24 hours of notification
• Damp and mould hazards must be investigated within 10 working days, with safety work completed within five working days following the investigation

The Government has confirmed that these duties will expand in 2026 to cover additional hazards that pose a significant risk of harm. These include excess cold and heat, structural collapse and explosions, and fire and electrical hazards, placing a greater emphasis on preventative action and effective maintenance across the social housing sector. 

Major Concerns Raised Over Insulation Quality 

A new report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has highlighted serious quality and compliance issues within the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) retrofit programme. According to the NAO, an estimated 98% of homes fitted with external wall insulation under ECO require remediation work, raising significant concerns about workmanship, oversight and consumer protection. 

The report recommends wide-ranging reforms to ECO, including: 

• Strengthening quality assurance mechanisms 
• Improving consumer safeguards 
• Taking robust action against non-compliant installers and assessors 

These findings underline the need for greater rigour and accountability in retrofit delivery, particularly as the sector works to improve housing quality and meet national net zero commitments.