Awaab’s Law comes into force this week, ushering in a new era of accountability for housing providers across England.
To support the sector as it adapts, law firm Weightmans has unveiled its Awaab’s Law Compliance Tool, a digital platform built to help landlords meet the new legal standards and safeguard tenants.
The legislation places new duties on providers to identify and fix hazards quickly, record and evidence all actions and maintain safe, healthy homes. Many landlords are already under pressure to maintain existing stock, build new homes and manage day-to-day operations, and with in-house legal teams stretched, Weightmans’ new toolkit provides an extra pair of hands, combining technology and legal expertise to help organisations stay compliant.
Developed and monitored by a team of more than 20 housing specialists, the Awaab’s Law Compliance Toolkit supports the social housing sector by ensuring compliance with Awaab’s Law, particularly in relation to reporting outcomes of investigations, and completing necessary works within strict timeframes.
The tool can be adapted to integrate with existing property management and repair systems or operate as a standalone platform. It helps landlords log, track and resolve issues, manage repairs and claims and analyse performance data. Every stage of the process is also supported by an auditable compliance trail, reducing the risk of regulatory or Ombudsman action, with additional safeguards to identify and protect vulnerable tenants.
The Weightmans-designed system is operationally adaptable and can be tailored to each organisation’s structure and processes, making it a practical solution for providers of all sizes. Unlike other toolkits on the market, Weightmans’ solution has been designed to evolve alongside the legislation, with a dedicated team of specialists continually refining its capabilities to reflect emerging requirements and the changing needs of the housing sector.
Matthew Lake, Partner and Housing Condition Claims Lead at Weightmans, said:
“Awaab’s Law sets a new benchmark for standards in social housing. With this new legislation posing a number of practical challenges for social landlords, quick adaption is key. Our Compliance Tool is designed to make that process clearer and more manageable. It gives organisations confidence that they can meet their new obligations, protecting both their tenants and their reputations.
“As Angela Rayner said when Awaab’s Law was introduced, this will be a “test and learn” process. The Weightmans platform has been developed to be the perfect companion for that, growing as the law and its guidance develop.”
Stuart Whittle, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Weightmans, said:
"This innovation perfectly blends legal expertise with technology, and is a great example of how working collaboratively we can build solutions to help solve our clients' compliance issues. This proactive measure provides confidence to registered providers, who are now able to navigate this brand new regulation."
The Awaab’s Law Compliance Tool is now available to support housing providers as they implement the new legislation, helping to create safer homes and a more transparent social housing sector.
