What is Awaab's Law?
Awaab’s Law is named in memory of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died following prolonged exposure to mould in his home. The law was introduced to strengthen protections for tenants and ensure that damp and mould concerns in rented homes are taken seriously and addressed promptly. From 6 October 2026, Awaab’s Law will apply in Scotland to both social housing and most homes within the Private Rented Sector, introducing new legal duties for landlords when damp or mould is reported or identified.
What it means for Landlords
From 6 October 2026, Awaab’s Law introduces clear legal timescales for how private landlords in Scotland must respond when they become aware of potential damp or mould in a property. These duties form part of the Repairing Standard and apply from the point a landlord becomes aware of a potential issue — whether it is reported by the tenant, identified during an inspection or brought to their attention by another person.
Unlike social landlords, who have a specific 20-working-day completion period, private landlords must complete the necessary repair work within a reasonable time following the investigation / as soon as reasonably practicable. What is reasonable will depend on the circumstances and complexity of the work, but the initial investigation and commencement deadlines still apply.
The key timeframes
Within 10 working days
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Investigate
A landlord must ensure that the reported damp or mould is investigated by a competent person within 10 working days of becoming aware of the issue. The investigator must have the appropriate skills and experience to assess whether the property is substantially free from damp and mould, identify potential causes and determine whether repair work is required. There is no prescribed qualification, but the landlord is responsible for ensuring the person carrying out the investigation is suitably competent.
Within 3 working days
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Provide a written summary
Once the investigation has concluded, the tenant or their representative must be provided with a written summary of the findings within 3 working days. This should clearly explain what was investigated, whether the property is considered substantially free from damp and mould and, where action is required, what work is needed and the intended timeframe for starting it.
Within 5 working days
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Begin required repairs
Where the investigation identifies substantial damp or mould, the landlord must ensure that appropriate repair work begins within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. This may include temporary or immediate measures, but landlords are ultimately expected to address the underlying cause and take reasonable steps to prevent the problem from recurring.
What if the deadlines cannot be met?
The legislation recognises that circumstances outside a landlord's control can sometimes cause delays, such as severe weather, unexpected contractor or supply-chain problems, difficulty gaining access to the property or delays obtaining external permissions. Where this happens, landlords must inform the tenant, explain which duty cannot be met and why, provide a revised timeframe, and take reasonable interim steps where practicable to minimise the impact of the damp or mould while the issue remains unresolved.
Keeping a clear record matters
Landlords should maintain clear records throughout the process, including when the issue was first identified or reported, attempts to arrange access, investigations, communications, findings, repairs and any reasons for delays. If compliance is later challenged, the landlord may need to demonstrate that the required timescales were followed or provide evidence that circumstances outside their control prevented them from doing so.
For private landlords, failure to meet the Repairing Standard can ultimately be referred to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). When considering whether repairs were completed within a reasonable period, the Tribunal can take the landlord's compliance with the Awaab's Law timescales into account.
How PRN Water Services can help
Strict deadlines. Competent investigations. Clear evidence. We help you stay on top of all three.
PRN Water Services helps Scottish landlords and letting agents manage damp and mould cases from initial report through to resolution, with a process designed around the requirements of Awaab’s Law.
Our Federation of Damp certified surveyor provides evidence of professional competence, giving you confidence that concerns are being investigated by someone with specialist damp and mould training. Our on-site assessment documents the condition of the property, photographs, environmental readings, likely causes and clear recommendations for remedial action.
Where further evidence is needed, we can install a data logger to continuously monitor temperature, humidity, dew point and moisture conditions, turning the results into clear graphs that show what is happening within the property over time.
Every assessment also includes access to PRN CaseHub — our purpose-built case management software. It helps you track Awaab’s Law deadlines, record every action and store supporting evidence, creating a detailed case timeline should you ever need to demonstrate the steps taken to resolve an issue at the First-tier Tribunal.
Damp & Mould Assessment — £200 + VAT, includes full use of CaseHub software.