I really enjoyed taking part in an Awaab’s Law Phase 2 and fire safety webinar with Aico, alongside Neil Yeomans, with around 700 people registering to join us live.
The level of interest shows just how important the next stage of Awaab’s Law is becoming across social housing. Phase 1 has already been in force since 27 October 2025, covering all emergency hazards and damp and mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm. Phase 2 comes into force on 30 November 2026 and extends the significant hazard requirements to a much wider range of housing hazards. [gov.uk], [gov.uk]
For me, bringing Awaab’s Law, HHSRS and fire safety together made this an especially relevant conversation for housing providers preparing for what comes next.
700 Register for the Awaab’s Law Phase 2 Webinar
The webinar came about when Theo Allen from Aico got in touch about delivering a session on Awaab’s Law, with a deeper dive into fire safety and what Phase 2 could mean for housing providers.
Theo asked if I knew someone who could bring genuine fire safety expertise to the discussion. Luckily, I’m close friends with someone who knows that space incredibly well, Neil Yeomans.
Neil and I were able to bring different but complementary perspectives to the session. We covered Awaab’s Law, HHSRS, fire safety, housing hazards, compliance and resident safety, while keeping the discussion focused on what all of this means in practice.
There was certainly plenty to talk about. Questions kept coming throughout the webinar and we simply could not get through all of them in the hour.
For me, that level of engagement demonstrated the appetite across the sector to understand Awaab’s Law Phase 2 and, importantly, to understand it in the context of wider housing safety rather than as another standalone piece of legislation.
Phase 1 Already Covers All Emergency Hazards
There is an important distinction to make before looking ahead to Phase 2.
Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law came into force on 27 October 2025. It covers all emergency hazards, regardless of hazard type, as well as damp and mould hazards that present a significant risk of harm. Government guidance states that potential emergency hazards must be investigated and, where an emergency hazard is identified, the investigation and relevant safety work must both be completed within 24 hours of the landlord becoming aware of the hazard.
This matters when we talk about fire safety, electrical hazards and other serious risks.
Emergency hazards are not waiting for Phase 2. If a hazard meets the emergency threshold, it is already within the scope of Awaab’s Law.
Phase 2 is therefore not the starting point for emergency hazards. It extends the requirements relating to significant hazards beyond damp and mould.
Read the government’s official Awaab’s Law guidance
What Changes Under Awaab’s Law Phase 2?
From 30 November 2026, Phase 2 extends the significant hazard requirements to excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards, and domestic hygiene, including personal hygiene and food safety.
That is a significant development for the sector.
Damp and mould remains hugely important, but Awaab’s Law is becoming a much broader conversation about how social landlords recognise and respond to housing hazards and protect residents from harm.
The official Phase 2 guidance also provides further detail around communication, awareness and triage, categorisation of hazards, investigations, emergency action, written summaries, making properties safe and alternative accommodation.
Read the government’s Awaab’s Law Phase 2 guidance for social landlords
Awaab’s Law Phase 2, HHSRS and Fire Safety
Fire and explosions are amongst the additional significant hazards coming within the Phase 2 requirements, which is one of the reasons the fire safety focus of the Aico webinar was so relevant. [gov.uk]
Having Neil involved gave us the opportunity to bring specialist fire safety expertise into the conversation alongside my focus on Awaab’s Law, HHSRS, housing compliance and organisational readiness.
These areas should not be considered entirely in isolation. The Phase 2 guidance itself specifically includes further clarification on the interaction between Awaab’s Law and HHSRS and also addresses the interaction with fire safety. [gov.uk]
That makes the wider organisational conversation increasingly important.
Awaab’s Law Cannot Sit with One Team
One message I continue to emphasise through my work with Sure Plus Solutions is that Awaab’s Law cannot sit with one team or one part of an organisation.
As the requirements extend across a wider range of significant hazards, housing providers need to think about how their services operate collectively, from the first contact with a resident through to investigation, action, communication and resolution.
That means looking beyond individual policies and procedures and considering how housing, repairs, asset management, customer services, complaints, compliance, fire safety and contractors work together in practice. Information needs to move effectively between those services, individual circumstances need to be understood and people need to know when a concern requires a different or more urgent response.
For me, this is where organisational readiness really sits. A landlord can have strong individual teams and good policies, but the resident experiences one organisation. The response needs to work as a whole, particularly when the issue involves a potentially serious risk to someone’s safety.
That same principle applies to systems and data. Good operational delivery depends on colleagues having access to the information they need and organisations being able to demonstrate the decisions and actions taken. Compliance therefore cannot be separated from the way the service actually works for residents.
Why HHSRS Knowledge Matters
The expansion of Awaab’s Law also brings HHSRS further into the conversation.
The Phase 2 government guidance specifically provides additional clarity on the relationship between Awaab’s Law and HHSRS. The accompanying triage guidance also makes clear that landlords need to consider the circumstances of the individual tenant alongside the nature and severity of the hazard when determining whether a hazard is significant or an emergency. [gov.uk], [gov.uk]
Not everybody working for a social landlord needs to become an HHSRS specialist, but organisations do need to think about what level of knowledge different people require to carry out their roles effectively.
Frontline colleagues may be the first people to receive information that indicates a potential problem. Housing teams, repairs colleagues, surveyors, asset management, complaints, compliance teams and contractors will interact with hazards in different ways. The challenge is making sure there is sufficient knowledge across the organisation for those different responsibilities to connect.
This is why the Awaab’s Law and HHSRS training I deliver through Sure Plus Solutions is focused on practical application as well as the requirements themselves. Understanding the legislation matters, but people also need to understand what it means for the job they actually do.
Preparing for Awaab’s Law Phase 2
For me, preparation for Awaab’s Law Phase 2 has to go further than updating a policy.
Social landlords need to understand whether their existing operating arrangements will work across the additional hazards. That includes considering the knowledge of colleagues, the way cases move between different services, how information about residents and properties is used, the role of contractors and specialists, and whether systems support the response the organisation expects to deliver.
Vulnerability and individual circumstances are particularly important. The government’s Phase 2 triage guidance makes clear that landlords should consider the specific circumstances of tenants, including age and physical and mental health, alongside what is known about the condition of the home and the nature of the hazard. [gov.uk]
This is where preparation becomes much more than a compliance exercise. The objective should be an organisation capable of recognising risk and responding appropriately when a resident needs it.
Brilliant Feedback from the Aico Webinar
The early feedback from the Aico webinar was brilliant, with people describing the session as relatable, engaging and easy to understand. It was particularly good to hear that the balance between Awaab’s Law and fire safety worked so well.
That matters to me because housing safety and compliance can become technically complex very quickly. The challenge is communicating those requirements in a way that people can relate to their own roles and take back into their organisations.
With around 700 people registered and more questions than we could answer during the hour, there is clearly significant interest across social housing in understanding what Phase 2 means in practice.
A huge thank you to everyone who registered, joined us and contributed questions, and especially to Theo Allen and Aico for bringing the webinar together.
And, of course, a huge thank you to Neil Yeomans for joining me and bringing his fire safety knowledge and experience into what was a really valuable discussion.
Awaab’s Law Phase 2 Training and Consultancy from Sure Plus Solutions
Through Sure Plus Solutions, I work with social landlords and housing professionals to translate housing legislation and regulatory requirements into practical operational delivery.
My work includes Awaab’s Law training, Awaab’s Law Phase 2 training, HHSRS training, damp and mould training, organisational readiness reviews, housing compliance consultancy and wider support around housing hazards, repairs and property services.
The aim is not simply to explain what legislation and guidance say. It is to help organisations understand what those requirements mean for their people, services, systems and residents, and how they translate into day-to-day delivery.
Because having the right policy is only the starting point.
The real test is whether it works when a resident needs it to work.
Looking for Awaab’s Law Phase 2 Training or Consultancy?
Danny Bird and Sure Plus Solutions provide specialist Awaab’s Law Phase 2 training, HHSRS training and housing compliance consultancy for social landlords and housing professionals.
Whether your organisation needs to prepare for Phase 2, strengthen understanding of HHSRS and housing hazards, train operational teams or review organisational readiness, Sure Plus Solutions provides practical support focused on translating compliance requirements into effective delivery.
Get in touch with Sure Plus Solutions to discuss Awaab’s Law Phase 2 training, HHSRS training or housing compliance consultancy.
