Awaab's Law is named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died in 2020 from a respiratory condition resulting from prolonged exposure to mould in his home. 

The new regulations on damp and mould are often referred to as Awaab's Law. In Scotland, the legislation is formally known as The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026.

The regulations come into force on 6 October 2026 and apply to both private landlords and social landlords.  They set out clear timescales to investigate reports of damp or mould and start required repairs.  

Landlords must:

1. Ensure that a competent person investigates reports of damp or mould within 10 working days of becoming aware of them.
2. Produce a written summary of investigation findings and provide this to the tenant or their representative within 3 working days of the investigation concluding.
3. If the investigation determines substantial damp or mould, the landlord must ensure repair work is commenced within 5 working days upon conclusion of the investigation.
4. Upon commencement, social landlords must ensure the repair is completed within a maximum period of 20 working days. Private landlords must ensure the repair is completed as soon as reasonably practicable.
5. Ensure the house will continue to be substantially free from damp and mould, as far as reasonably practicable.

If a landlord is unable to meet these timescales, they must set out in writing to the tenant the specific duty and the reasons why they are unable to comply as well as a revised timescale for compliance.

Further information is available on the Scottish Government Website:

Tenants Guidance:

• guidance for tenants in Scotland - Easy Read version
• Awaab’s Law Guidance

Landlords Guidance:

• Awaab's Law: guidance for landlords in Scotland
• Awaab's Law: guidance for landlords in Scotland - Easy Read version

Information on other housing standards can be found on our Housing Standards page.