This led to the introduction of Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector in England in October 2025.

Awaab’s Law places a legal duty on social landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and other serious hazards that present a significant risk of harm within strict timescales. It also gives social housing tenants the legal right to take action where landlords fail to meet these obligations.

Similar protections will now be introduced by the Scottish Government through the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 and are expected to come into force from 6 October 2026.

Under this new Scottish legislation, landlords must ensure they:

• investigate and identify the cause of damp and mould within 10 working days
• provide a written summary of findings to the tenant within 3 working days
• begin repair works within 5 working days where repairs are needed
• respond within 24 hours where the issue is classed as an emergency

The Scottish Government is expected to provide further guidance to landlords in due course.

In preparation of this new legislation being introduced, Housing and Technical Resources is:

• reviewing current processes for managing damp and mould
• considering opportunities to further support tenants in preventing and monitoring damp or mould issues within their homes
• providing appropriate training for staff on the new requirements

Daily living practices play an important role in preventing damp and mould in the home. This includes ensuring your home is well ventilated, with further advice for tenants available on the council’s website.

We will bring you more information on this important issue later in the year.