Scotland’s social housing landlords resolve mould cases ahead of Awaab’s law

More than 40,000 social housing landlords in Scotland have resolved damp and mould cases, according to a new report.

Data from the Scottish Housing Regulator reveals cases took an average of 26 days to resolve.

The news comes as Awaab’s Law is set to come into effect in Scotland in October for social and private landlords.

Damp and mould cases resolved

According to the data, 92% of damp and mould cases resolved during 2025/26 did not recur. Where landlords did reopen cases, condensation was the most common cause, accounting for more than half (52%) of cases.

Social housing landlords reported that they have been developing more detailed policies and procedures, providing staff training and investing in housing management systems and software to strengthen their approach to managing damp and mould cases and prepare for Awaab’s Law in Scotland.

Michael Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator, said: “This report provides an initial picture of how social landlords are responding to reports of damp and mould. It can have a significant impact on tenants and their families, so it is important that landlords respond quickly and effectively when cases are reported. The findings show that, in most cases, landlords addressed the issue and there was no recurrence during the reporting year.

“This is the first year of landlords reporting on the new damp and mould ARC indicators. When we launched the new damp and mould indicators, we said we would review them after the first submission. We will be engaging with landlords, tenants and other stakeholders over the coming months as part of that review.”

The news comes as an advisory board to the Scottish government has warned Awaab’s Law will deter investment and cause private landlords to leave the market.