Damp and mould: Awaab’s law

The new Cabinet Secretary for Housing has recently announced to parliament that the Scottish Government will raise the standard and quality of all rented accommodation in Scotland by bringing Awaab’s law into force in the social and private rented sectors from March 2026.

It is expected that this will require all landlords to address damp and mould that presents a significant risk of harm to tenants within fixed timeframes. It is possible that this requirement will extend to other types of dangerous disrepair, but SAL is still awaiting clarity on the scope of this proposal.

SAL is involved in a series of meetings about this proposal and is making it clear to government officials that this is not a straightforward issue, and in many cases mould is caused not by any defect with the property but by tenants failing to adequately heat and/or ventilate the property.

SAL will issue further detailed guidance to members on this in due course once the requirements have been confirmed by the government. If any members are interested in feeding in their comments/concerns on this subject, please email them to policy@scottishlandlords.com

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