Awaab's Law Guidance for landlords in Scotland - Easy Read version
The Scottish Government has prepared guidance to assist social and private landlords to comply with their duties under the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026, which come into force on 6 October 2026. This is an Easy-Read version of the guidance.
Introduction
There will be a new law from 6 October 2026. Landlords in Scotland will have to check reports of damp or mould. They will have to start repairs quickly.
Damp and mould can be bad for people’s health.
It is important that landlords and tenants work together and talk to each other about what is happening.
Tenants who think they have damp or mould should tell their landlords as soon as possible.
This is an Easy Read version. You can read the full guidance for landlords.
What this guidance is for
To help landlords do what the new rules say they must.
It can be used by tenants for information. It can be used by other people working in housing and repairs.
Every case of damp and mould is different. The new rules are only for substantial damp or mould. Substantial means it is large and may cause harm. This could be because:
- there is a lot of it
- it has been there a long time
- someone is at more risk because of their age or health
Landlords must ask for expert help if they need it. They must make sure they follow the new rules.
