New Legislation - Awaab's Law Comes Into Force

Hjaltland Housing Association is welcoming the introduction of Awaab’s Law in Scotland, which will strengthen protections for tenants affected by damp and mould in their homes.

The new requirements come into force on 6 October 2026 and place clear timescales on landlords to investigate reports of damp and mould, communicate the findings to tenants and, where required, begin repair work.

Under the new rules, reports of damp or mould must normally be investigated within 10 working days, with tenants receiving a written summary of the findings within a further 3 working days. Where substantial damp or mould is identified, necessary repair work must begin within 5 working days of the investigation.

Everyone should have a warm, safe and healthy home. We welcome the introduction of Awaab’s Law and the additional protections it provides for tenants. We take reports of damp and mould seriously and encourage any tenant who has concerns about their home to contact us as soon as possible. Our teams are committed to investigating problems promptly, keeping tenants informed and tackling the underlying causes.

Awaab’s Law is named in memory of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died following prolonged exposure to mould in his home in Rochdale. The legislation is intended to ensure reports of damp and mould are investigated and acted upon promptly.

We are committed to working in partnership with all tenants to ensure the home environment remains a healthy and safe place to live. Please phone us on 01595 69 4986 or email mail@hjaltland.org if you need to report a repair. We also have a suite of excellent information here - www.hjaltland.org/repairs/mould-and-damp