From 30 November 2026, pest infestations come explicitly within the scope of Awaab’s Law for social landlords in England. For housing association repairs and compliance teams, council housing teams and the managing agents looking after their stock, a reported bed bug, cockroach or flea problem will carry fixed timescales for investigation, written findings and works.
This guide covers what changes, the timescales at a glance, what it means in practice when a tenant reports pests, and where private landlords stand. It is a practical overview from a pest control company, so check the official Awaab’s Law guidance on GOV.UK for the detail.
What Awaab’s Law is
Awaab’s Law is the name given to the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025, made under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It requires social landlords (housing associations, other registered providers and councils) to investigate and deal with hazards in tenants’ homes within set timescales, tell the tenant in writing what they found and will do, and keep records.
It is being introduced in phases:
- Phase 1, from 27 October 2025: emergency hazards and significant damp and mould.
- Phase 2, from 30 November 2026: further HHSRS hazards, including “domestic hygiene, pests and refuse”, excess cold and heat, falls, fire and electrical hazards.
- Phase 3, from 2027: most remaining HHSRS hazards.
What changes on 30 November 2026
Phase 2 is the point at which pests stop being a grey area. A pest infestation that poses a significant risk of harm is treated like any other significant hazard, with the same duties to investigate, report and act.
Three points in the government’s Phase 2 hazards guidance matter most for pest cases:
- Pests are named explicitly. Infestations sit under the domestic hygiene, pests and refuse hazard, not left to interpretation.
- Entry points count as deficiencies. Gaps or holes in walls, around pipework, vents and skirting boards that let pests in or move between homes are treated as defects. Proofing is part of the fix, not an optional extra.
- “Lifestyle” is not a reason to wait. The guidance is clear that assumptions about a tenant’s housekeeping or lifestyle must not stop a landlord from investigating and acting on a pest problem.
The question is no longer whether pests are the landlord’s problem, but whether you investigated in time, wrote to the tenant, did the works and kept a record that shows it.
The timescales at a glance
The table below summarises the main Phase 2 timescales as they apply to a reported hazard. Working days exclude weekends and bank holidays.
| Hazard type | Investigate | Written summary to tenant | Safety work | Further works |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency hazard (significant and imminent risk of harm) | Within 24 hours | Within 3 working days of the investigation concluding | Make safe within 24 hours | Start within 5 working days of the summary (12-week backstop) |
| Significant hazard (including a pest infestation posing a significant risk) | Within 10 working days of being made aware | Within 3 working days of the investigation concluding | Within 5 working days of the summary, where safety work is needed | Start within 5 working days of the summary (12-week backstop) |
Alongside the timescales, landlords need to keep records of what was reported, when it was investigated, what was found (photographs help), what was done and when the tenant was told. If a home cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must offer suitable alternative accommodation.
What this means in practice for pest problems
Most of the timescales are about process, and that is where pest cases tend to go wrong. A technician who sprays and leaves no record does not help you show a hazard was investigated and dealt with. In practice the law pushes housing teams towards a few habits:
Investigate properly, not just the flat that complained
Bed bugs in flats are the classic example. They move through voids, service ducts and shared walls, so an infestation reported in one flat is often already in the neighbours. We inspect adjoining flats as standard when treating bed bugs in a block, because treating one unit in isolation tends to lead to re-infestation. Cockroaches follow pipework and warm risers between kitchens and bathrooms. Fleas are usually tied to a pet or a recently vacated home but can spread through communal carpets. An investigation that only looks at the flat on the ticket can miss the source.
Get a written report with photographs
The written summary to the tenant needs to say what was found and what you will do. A pest report with dated photographs of evidence, harbourages and entry points gives you that content and doubles as your record. Our technicians produce written reports with photos on every job, and where they see signs of damp and mould they identify, photograph and report them to the landlord so they can be picked up under Phase 1.
Proof the entry points
Because gaps around pipes, vents and skirting are treated as deficiencies, a treatment that kills the insects but leaves the route in is half the job. Build proofing into the works order so the same flat is not back on the list in three months.
Give tenants clear guidance
Treatments work better when tenants know what to do before and after a visit. Clear, plain-language preparation and aftercare instructions make the first treatment more likely to succeed and keep return visits to the minimum needed.
Don’t lead with lifestyle
Bed bugs arrive in luggage, second-hand furniture and visitors’ bags; cockroaches follow pipes from wherever they established first. Even where housekeeping is a factor, the guidance says it must not stop the landlord acting. Investigate, record and treat first; conversations about contributing factors can follow with evidence in hand.
Private landlords: proposed, not yet law
Awaab’s Law currently applies to social landlords only. On 9 October 2026 the government opened a consultation on extending it to private rented tenancies and to licences such as supported and temporary accommodation; the consultation closes on 18 December 2026. Until regulations follow, private landlords are not bound by Awaab’s Law timescales.
That does not mean pests can be left. Private landlords already have duties under the Housing Act 2004 and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS): councils can enforce against category 1 hazards, which a serious infestation can be. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 builds on those duties with a stronger focus on property standards and quicker responses to reported problems. Further ahead, a reformed Decent Homes Standard is due to apply to both social and private rented homes from 2035.
The practical advice is the same in either sector: respond quickly, get a proper inspection, keep written records and fix the entry points. Landlords doing that now will have little to change if the extension goes ahead.
Wales and Scotland
Awaab’s Law is England-only. Wales and Scotland have their own fitness-for-habitation and repairing standards for rented homes, and both already expect landlords to deal with infestations. Landlords outside England should follow their national guidance rather than the timescales above.
How ThermoPest helps
ThermoPest is a BPCA and NPTA member specialising in bed bug heat treatment, with programmes for cockroaches, fleas and moths. For housing providers we offer inspections with photo reports, whole-block treatment including neighbouring flats, proofing of entry points, tenant preparation and aftercare guides, and priority response options agreed per contract, designed to help you meet your Awaab’s Law timescales. Our vans are unmarked.
See how we work with social housing providers, local authorities, temporary accommodation and managing agents, or read our page for private landlords. For the treatment itself, start with bed bug heat treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Does Awaab’s Law cover bed bugs?
From 30 November 2026, yes. Phase 2 brings the “domestic hygiene, pests and refuse” hazard into scope for social landlords in England, and infestations such as bed bugs fall under it where they pose a significant risk of harm.
How quickly does a social landlord have to act on a pest report?
For a significant hazard: investigate within 10 working days, send the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation, carry out safety work within 5 working days and start further works within 5 working days (12-week backstop). An emergency hazard must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
Can a landlord refuse to treat pests because of the tenant’s lifestyle?
The government guidance says assumptions about a tenant’s lifestyle must not prevent action on pests. The landlord still has to investigate and deal with the hazard within the timescales.
Does Awaab’s Law apply to private landlords?
Not yet. A consultation on extending it to the private rented sector runs from 9 October to 18 December 2026. Existing Housing Act 2004 and HHSRS duties and the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 already apply.
What should a pest report include for Awaab’s Law records?
The inspection date, areas inspected (including neighbouring flats where relevant), evidence found, photographs, entry points or deficiencies noted, treatment carried out or recommended and any follow-up planned. That gives you the tenant’s written summary and a record for your files.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 14 October 2026.
