Damp and mould: Awaab's Law for private landlords in Scotland

Scotland · 5 min read · Published 1 October 2026 · Updated 2 October 2026

In short: from 6 October 2026, private landlords in Scotland have fixed deadlines when a tenant reports damp or mould. You must have it investigated by someone competent within 10 working days, give the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of the investigation, and start any repair within 5 working days after that. The repair itself must then be finished within a reasonable time. Scotland's version of Awaab's Law covers private lets from day one. England's version covers social housing only, for now.

Where the name comes from

Awaab Ishak was two years old when he died in 2020 from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home. The law that carries his name sets hard deadlines so that reports of damp and mould get dealt with quickly. Scotland's rules come from the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026.

The three deadlines, step by step

The clock starts when you, or your agent, become aware that there may be damp or mould. A tenant's phone call or email counts.

1. Investigate within 10 working days. The inspection must be carried out by someone with the right skills and experience. A quick look by a friend who does odd jobs is unlikely to pass.
2. Write to the tenant within 3 working days of the investigation ending. Set out what was found and what happens next, in plain language.
3. Start the repair within 5 working days of the investigation ending, where substantial damp or mould is found. For private landlords the work must then be completed within a reasonable time.

These deadlines sit alongside the Repairing Standard, which already requires a rented home in Scotland to be wind and watertight and reasonably fit to live in. What is new is the stopwatch.

What this means in practice

The hardest part is not the repair. It is having the people ready. A landlord who lives abroad, or several hours away, cannot easily arrange a competent inspection within two working weeks if they start looking for a contractor on the day the email arrives. Three things help:

• A named inspector or surveyor you can call the same day, agreed before you need them.
• A simple log of when each report came in, when it was inspected, when the tenant was written to, and when work started. If a tenant or the tribunal asks, the dates are your evidence.
• Prevention: working extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, trickle vents, sensible heating advice for tenants, and fixing gutters and pointing before they leak. In our experience, many damp complaints in older tenements and post-war houses trace back to poor ventilation or water getting in from outside.

Money spent on ventilation and fabric repairs is rarely wasted. It also tends to protect value, as we explain in where refurbishment money actually adds value.

How England compares

England introduced Awaab's Law for social landlords first, with a second phase for social housing due on 30 November 2026. For private landlords in England there is no start date yet. The government has said it is committed to extending the law to private rentals and will consult on the detail, and campaigners want it brought in quickly.

Separately, England's new Decent Homes Standard, which includes dealing with damp and mould, is planned to apply to private rented homes from 2035. So today, a landlord with property on both sides of the border has stricter, dated damp and mould duties in Scotland than in England.

If we manage your property

Where we manage a home in Glasgow, East Kilbride or the central belt, meeting these deadlines is our job, not yours: logging the report, arranging the inspection, writing to the tenant and getting the work started. For an owner living overseas, that is usually the point of having a manager on the ground.

This guide is general information for landlords in Scotland, not legal advice. Check the current Scottish Government guidance and take your own advice on any specific property.

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