Awaab’s Law and Pest Control: What Phase 2 Means for Landlords and Housing Providers
- Nov 18, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
This article was originally published in November 2025 and was substantially updated in July 2026 following confirmation that pest infestations are included in the phased rollout of Awaab’s Law.
The introduction of Awaab’s Law marks one of the most significant changes to housing standards in England for decades.
Initially focused on damp and mould, the legislation is now expanding to include pest infestations, placing greater responsibility on landlords and housing providers to investigate and resolve infestations within defined timescales.
For landlords, housing associations, letting agents and property managers, pest control is no longer simply a matter of protecting buildings or responding to complaints. It is becoming an important part of providing safe, healthy homes and demonstrating compliance with legal obligations.
This guide explains what Awaab’s Law is, why pest control now forms part of the legislation, and what practical steps property owners should take.
What is Awaab’s Law?
Awaab’s Law is named after Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old boy who tragically died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s social housing property.
His death highlighted serious failures in the way housing providers responded to hazardous living conditions and led to changes in housing legislation designed to ensure that dangerous hazards are investigated and remedied much more quickly.
Introduced under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, Awaab’s Law places legal duties on registered providers of social housing to investigate and repair hazards within prescribed timescales.
The first phase came into force in October 2025, focusing primarily on damp, mould and emergency hazards.
However, the Government has confirmed that further phases will expand the legislation to cover additional hazards, including pest infestations.
Why are pests now included?
Poor housing conditions rarely exist in isolation.
Properties suffering from damp, structural defects, poor waste management or disrepair often become attractive environments for pests including:
These infestations can affect both physical and mental wellbeing and may contribute to respiratory illness, allergic reactions, stress and anxiety. They can also indicate wider maintenance problems that require investigation.
Recognising this, the Government has confirmed that hazards relating to hygiene and infestations will form part of the phased rollout of Awaab’s Law, bringing pest management firmly onto the housing compliance agenda.
As the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has highlighted, landlords should expect pest infestations to become subject to the same expectation of prompt investigation and remediation as other serious housing hazards.
What does Phase 2 mean for landlords?
For landlords and housing providers, pest control is moving from reactive maintenance to proactive risk management.
Waiting until tenants repeatedly complain about rodents or insects is no longer considered good practice.
Instead, landlords should have procedures in place to:
Respond quickly when infestations are reported.
Arrange professional inspections where appropriate.
Identify and address the underlying causes of infestations.
Keep accurate records of inspections, treatments and follow-up visits.
Demonstrate that reasonable action has been taken within the required timescales.
Professional documentation is becoming increasingly important. Inspection reports, treatment records and photographic evidence may all help demonstrate compliance if questions arise later.
Looking beyond the pests
One of the most important principles of modern pest management is that treating the infestation alone is rarely enough.
Rodents entering through damaged brickwork, overflowing refuse stores attracting flies, or cockroaches thriving because of persistent leaks are symptoms of wider issues within the property.
Effective compliance requires landlords to address both:
the infestation itself; and
the underlying environmental conditions that allowed it to occur.
This aligns closely with the aims of Awaab’s Law, which focuses on creating safe, healthy living environments rather than simply treating individual problems.
Protecting vulnerable tenants
Some residents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of pest infestations.
Young children, older people, pregnant women and individuals with respiratory conditions or weakened immune systems may experience greater health impacts from living in pest-infested accommodation.
Where a property cannot be made safe quickly enough, landlords may need to consider temporary alternative accommodation while remediation works are completed.
Prompt action benefits both tenants and landlords by reducing health risks and preventing relatively small problems from becoming much more serious.
What should tenants do?
If you’re experiencing a pest problem in your home, reporting it promptly is essential.
Keep a record of:
when you first noticed the problem;
photographs or videos of the infestation;
any damage caused;
emails or messages sent to your landlord or housing provider; and
responses you receive.
Where pest infestations are linked with damp, mould or structural defects, make sure all issues are reported together, as they are often connected.
If your landlord fails to investigate or respond appropriately, further support may be available through your local authority or the Housing Ombudsman, depending on your circumstances.
How professional pest control supports compliance
Professional pest control companies have an increasingly important role to play in helping landlords meet their responsibilities.
A qualified survey provides far more than simply identifying pests.
It helps establish:
the extent of the infestation;
likely entry points;
contributing environmental factors;
recommended proofing works;
treatment plans;
monitoring requirements; and
documented evidence of the actions taken.
This information provides landlords with a clear audit trail demonstrating that appropriate steps have been taken to investigate and resolve reported hazards.
How Stratton Pest Control can help
At Stratton Pest Control, we work with landlords, letting agents, housing providers and commercial property managers across the South East and East of England.
Our services include:
Professional pest inspections
Rapid response treatments
Rodent and insect control
Property proofing recommendations
Digital inspection reports
Ongoing monitoring programmes
Preventative pest management plans
Whether you’re responding to a reported infestation or developing a proactive compliance strategy, our experienced technicians can help you protect both your properties and your tenants.
Preparing for the future
The inclusion of pest infestations within Awaab’s Law reflects a wider shift in how housing standards are being regulated.
Landlords who adopt a proactive approach now, through regular inspections, preventative maintenance, prompt responses and professional pest management, will be better placed to meet future legal requirements while providing healthier homes for their tenants.
Need advice about pest control for rental properties?
If you’re a landlord, letting agent, housing association or property manager and would like advice on pest inspections or preventative pest management, we’d be happy to help.
Call Stratton Pest Control on 01582 800302Â or contact us to discuss pest control services across:
Find out more about our reactive and proactive pest control services for letting agencies, property managers and landlords.