If substantial damp or mould requires repair, begin work within five working days of the investigation ending. Private landlords must complete it as soon as reasonably practicable. The 20-working-day completion maximum described for social landlords is not the private-landlord rule.
Start the clock from awareness
Record when the landlord or their representative first became aware of the problem. Do not wait for a formal complaint form before opening the case.
- Keep the original report, photographs and affected rooms. Ask about the extent, active leaks and any occupant needs relevant to urgency.
- Calculate the working-day deadlines using the applicable guidance, with weekends and relevant holidays handled correctly. Keep the calculation visible to the person managing the repair.
- An emergency or serious immediate risk may require faster action. A maximum investigation period is not permission to leave an obvious danger unattended.
Investigation, summary and work
The duties include distinct events. Record each event separately so a contractor booking does not get mistaken for completed investigation or repair.
- Investigate within 10 working days of awareness and provide the required written summary within three working days of the investigation ending.
- Where the investigation identifies the relevant substantial damp or mould problem, begin the required repair work within five working days of the investigation ending.
- For private landlords, complete the work as soon as reasonably practicable. The separate 20-working-day completion rule discussed for social landlords must not be copied into a private-landlord deadline.
Delays and follow-up
If work cannot proceed as planned, document the actual reason and use the guidance on exceptional circumstances and interim measures.
- Record access attempts, specialist availability, drying needs or dependencies with evidence. Explain the revised plan and next update to the tenant.
- Consider what protection or arrangements are needed while the affected room remains unsafe or unusable. Do not treat sending an update as a substitute for work.
- Verify the cause was addressed and revisit recurrence. Retain the investigation summary, start date, completion evidence and tenant communication together.
Example: the investigation finishes before the report is typed
A fictional inspection establishes a substantial damp problem on Monday. Record the actual investigation-end date and calculate the summary and work-start deadlines from the appropriate event. Do not move that date to Friday merely because that is when the contractor finishes typing the report.
What to do
- Record when you became aware of the problem and assess immediate risk.
- Arrange a competent investigation and send its written findings.
- Record repairs, reasonable interim measures and any properly explained exceptional delay.
Evidence to keep
- Original report and investigation dates
- Findings, tenant summary and repair records
Sources and guidance
- Awaab’s Law: scope and requirementsScottish Government · checked 20 October 2026