SELECT and Aico warn landlords to be prepared to act on new damp and mould rules

Electrotechnical trade body SELECT and manufacturer Aico have urged Scotland’s housing sector to be fully prepared for the major new legal duties on damp and mould in homes.

The forthcoming rollout of Awaab’s Law – AKA Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 – will place significant new demands on landlords and contractors from October onwards.

Both industry bodies have told the latest episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast (SHNP) that the new rules mean that both social and private landlords must address damp and mould issues in homes within strict set timeframes.

Bob Cairney, Director of Technical Services at SELECT, stressed that the new duties will require skilled electrical contractors to install gateways, sensors and ventilation systems and ensure compliance with all relevant standards. He said:

“Competence will be crucial. Electrical contractors are ideally placed to support landlords, but only when work is carried out by properly qualified electricians with the right knowledge, skills and experience.”

He added that SELECT is updating its training and assessment programmes to meet demand across environmental sensors, ventilation, heat pumps, battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) charge points.

Cairney told co-hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black:

“Technology is moving quickly, and regulations are evolving with it. Our role is to ensure contractors have the competence to meet these challenges safely and effectively.”

Gregor Morrison, National Contractor Manager at Aico, also highlighted that Scotland’s social landlords have been early adopters of environmental sensors, with over 115,000 homes connected UK‑wide since Aico introduced them in 2021. This represents 150,000+ sensors and more than 500,000 connected devices including alarms and accessories. He said:

“Even before Awaab’s Law was considered for Scotland, many social landlords here were already acting. Without national funding, they have still outpaced their colleagues in England in adopting sensor technology. But with new statutory duties coming, this is not the time to ease off.”

He pointed to West Dunbartonshire Council, which halved its number of high‑risk properties within 12 months after installing sensors and creating a dedicated damp and mould team, using real‑time CO₂, temperature and humidity data to identify issues earlier and work more effectively with tenants.

Both podcast guests emphasised the importance of landlords preparing early by reviewing processes, strengthening tenant engagement, assessing contractor competence and using data to support legal compliance.

Awaab’s Law was introduced in England in 2025 and was named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died in 2020 after being exposed to mould in his home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

select.org.uk