Report it so the clock actually starts
The deadlines only begin when your landlord becomes aware of the hazard. How you report it decides whether you can prove that later.
The three things your report must contain
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What the hazard is, and where
Room by room. "Black mould covering roughly one square metre on the north wall of the back bedroom, and around the window frame in the bathroom" is worth far more than "damp in the flat".
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Who lives in the home
This is the part almost everyone leaves out, and it is the part that decides whether a hazard counts as presenting a significant risk of harm. Name the children and their ages, anyone elderly, anyone pregnant, anyone with a breathing or heart condition or a weakened immune system. You do not need to give medical detail, just say that someone in the household is affected.
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A clear statement that you are reporting a hazard
Use the words. "I am reporting a hazard under Awaab's Law" makes it very hard for the report to be logged as a routine repair request and lost in a queue.
A template you can copy
Subject: Hazard report under Awaab's Law, [your address]
Dear [landlord],
I am a tenant at [full address]. I am reporting a hazard at this property under Awaab's Law and asking you to investigate it within the statutory timescales.
The hazard: [describe room by room, with approximate size and how long it has been there. Attach photographs.]
Who lives here: [names and ages of everyone in the household, and say if anyone is pregnant, elderly, or has a health condition affected by the conditions.]
Previous reports: [dates, reference numbers and how you reported it. Write "none" if this is the first.]
I understand that you must investigate within 10 working days, provide me with a written summary of your findings within 3 working days of concluding that investigation, and begin any work needed to make the property safe within 5 working days of concluding it. If you consider this an emergency hazard, I understand the timescale is 24 hours.
Please confirm receipt of this report and provide a reference number.
Yours faithfully,
[your name]
[your phone number]
[date]
Take photographs with the date visible if your phone can do that, and keep the originals on your phone rather than only in the email. Send from an email address you will still have access to in a year. Blind copy yourself if you are using a landlord portal that does not give you a copy.
What happens next, and when to escalate
Count in working days from the day after you send it. If 10 working days pass with no investigation, or the investigation happens but you get no written findings within 3 working days of it finishing, that is the point to make a formal complaint, not another repair report. The distinction matters, because the Housing Ombudsman will normally want to see that you have been through your landlord's complaints procedure.
Common questions
Does a phone call count?
Legally it can, but it is much weaker evidence. Landlords’ call logs are often incomplete and you have no copy. Always follow a phone report with an email the same day saying what you reported and when, so there is a dated record you control.
Do I have to use my landlord’s online form?
Use it, because it generates a reference number, but do not rely on it alone. Most online forms give you no copy of what you submitted. Screenshot the confirmation and send a short email repeating the detail.
What if my landlord says it is condensation and my fault?
This is the most common response and it does not end the matter. Awaab’s Law is about hazards that present a significant risk of harm, regardless of cause. Ask for the finding in writing, which they must give you within 3 working days of the investigation. If they say lifestyle, ask what they propose to do about ventilation and heating, and put that question in writing too.