Phase 2 of Awaab's Law is coming. And according to Louise Murphy, Partner and Head of Social Housing and Regeneration at MSB Solicitors, the sector is not quite as ready as it should be.
In this episode of the Social Housing Round Table hosted by Elaine Middleton, Louise walks through exactly what Phase 2 means in practice — what new hazard categories are being introduced, what organisations need to have in place, and where the sector is most likely to come unstuck.
Phase 1 brought damp and mould firmly into focus. Phase 2 expands the scope significantly, bringing in hazards related to falls, excess heat and cold, pests, domestic hygiene, and communal areas. Louise is direct about what that means operationally: triage systems need revisiting, contractor contracts need reviewing, training plans need updating, and cross-departmental working is no longer optional. As she puts it, organisations cannot afford to operate as assets versus neighbourhoods, or repairs versus governance. Everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction.
The conversation also covers some of the harder questions the sector is wrestling with — what happens when a hazard stems from a tenant's own adaptations, where liability sits when a third party is involved, how to approach falls risks given that the same window can represent very different levels of danger depending on who lives in the property, and the growing risk of claims farmers exploiting the new legislation. Louise's advice on that last point is simple: know your definitions, apply common sense, and make sure the decisions you are making are clearly grounded in the guidance.
Her closing message is one worth writing down. Read the guidance. Make your list. Implement it. Phase 2 is an opportunity to improve homes for customers — and the sector should approach it that way.
Big thank you to MSB Solicitors for sponsoring this session and to Alertacall Ltd for sponsoring The Social Housing Round Table, without them, none of this would be possible.
