Awaab's Law: Scotland's deadlines and England's plans

Since 6 October 2026, every private landlord in Scotland has had fixed deadlines for dealing with damp and mould. If you manage lets in Scotland, a tenant's report to you is likely to start the clock.

In England, Awaab's Law applies to social housing but is not yet in force for private landlords.

Why it's called Awaab's Law

Awaab Ishak was two years old when he died in December 2020 from a severe respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his family's home in Rochdale. His parents had complained about the mould repeatedly. The coroner found that action to treat and prevent the mould was not taken, and warned that this was "not simply a social housing issue", adding that "the same concerns apply as much to the private landlords".

Awaab's family campaigned for change, and the rules that followed carry his name. They set a clear timetable for investigating and dealing with a tenant's report of damp or mould.

Scotland's rules for private and social landlords

The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 came into force on 6 October 2026. They apply to both private and social landlords and cover damp and mould.

For private lets, the regulations change the Repairing Standard. A house must now be "substantially free from damp and mould". These deadlines apply once a landlord is told, or otherwise becomes aware, that a house is or may be affected:

Working days exclude weekends and Scottish bank holidays. The five-day deadline is for starting repairs. Private landlords must then complete the work as soon as reasonably practicable. If something genuinely outside the landlord's control causes a delay, they must tell the tenant why and how long it's likely to last. They must also take reasonable steps to limit the damp or mould in the meantime.

What the written summary should cover

The Scottish Government's guidance for landlords sets out what the summary should include, and private landlords must have regard to it:

• who carried out the investigation
• a brief summary of the investigation and findings, with a clear yes or no on whether the home is substantially free from damp and mould
• any repair work done during the visit
• where substantial damp or mould was found, the work needed and a target timeframe for starting it
• where it wasn't, the reasons why

The guidance also expects investigations to be carried out in person unless there's a good reason not to, and notes that a mould wash on its own is unlikely to count as a suitable repair.

The letting agent's role

The landlord remains responsible, but the guidance allows agents to do much of the work, including drafting and sending the written summary. A report to the managing agent is likely to count as the landlord becoming aware, so it's safest to assume the 10 working days start when you're told.

If a landlord falls short, a tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber), which can issue a Repairing Standard Enforcement Order.

England: social housing now, private lets later

In England, Awaab's Law has applied to social landlords since 27 October 2025, with timescales for damp and mould and a 24-hour deadline for emergency hazards. More hazards are due to be added from 30 November 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval.

For private landlords, it isn't in force yet:

The consultation asks how long investigations, summaries and repairs should take, and whether to start with damp, mould and emergencies. When the rules arrive, the landlord will remain responsible even where an agent manages repairs, and the government expects that landlords "may need to establish new contractual agreements with their agent".

In the meantime, existing repairing obligations and the duty to keep a home fit for human habitation still apply, and councils can still take enforcement action on hazards. We covered the wider changes in our guide to the Renters' Rights Act and property reporting.

What letting agents can do now

The deadlines are the law in Scotland. The habits below are how agents tend to meet them, and they're worth building now in England too.

• Log every damp or mould report the day it arrives. The clock runs in working days from when the landlord is told, and a report to you probably counts.
• Arrange investigators in advance. Know which competent people you can call and how quickly they can get there, so you don't spend the 10 working days finding someone.
• Inspect in person and record what you find. Dated, room-by-room photos, moisture readings and notes on ventilation and heating give you a clear record of the findings.
• Send the written summary on time. In Scotland this is a legal deadline: three working days from the end of the investigation. A template that covers each point in the guidance means you're not starting from a blank page.
• Keep a paper trail. Record access attempts, contractor bookings and messages to the tenant, so you can show what was done and when.
• Check your management agreements. Agree with each landlord who assesses incoming reports and instructs work. Set out what you can authorise without asking.
• Look for damp during routine inspections. Damp spotted on a mid-tenancy inspection can be dealt with before it becomes a complaint.

HelloReport's Damp and Mould Inspection report

Our new Damp and Mould Inspection report is designed for Scotland's new rules. Inspectors work through the findings room by room, and the report produces a clear written summary for the tenant. An England version will follow once the rules there are settled.

HelloReport's inspection, check-in and check-out reports already give you dated, photo-led records of a property's condition. That's the kind of clear record the Scottish guidance encourages landlords to keep. Book a guided demo to see how it works, or start your free trial.

This guide is a summary for letting agents, not legal advice. It reflects the position on 26 October 2026.