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Official Report · Chamber

Damp and Mould in Homes

General Question Time

Thursday 4 September 2025 Meeting of the Parliament Questions 4 contributions · 2 speakers Watch on Scottish Parliament TV

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4 contributions
Davy Russell Lab Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse
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To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its definition of what constitutes “substantial” damp and mould in a home, at what threshold such conditions are considered to require remedial action by social landlords. (S6O-04885)

Màiri McAllan SNP The Cabinet Secretary for Housing · Clydesdale
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All homes in Scotland are required by law to meet the minimum tolerable standard, which requires housing to be

“substantially free from rising or penetrating damp”.

The Scottish Government developed guidance for local authorities on the tolerable standard, which includes guidance on assessing damp. Every case is different, and assessors are expected to use that guidance, as well as their professional judgment, to assess on a case-by-case basis whether a house is substantially free from damp.

I take the issue of damp and mould extremely seriously, which is why I committed to bringing in Awaab’s law across the social and private rented sectors from March 2026.

Davy Russell Lab Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse
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The Scottish house condition survey, in its most recently published data, found that 10 per cent—that is, 250,000—of the homes in Scotland have damp and mould. For two decades, the issue has been actively monitored. As woeful as that situation is, it is not spread evenly across the population. Low-income families living in rented accommodation are often left to the whim of rogue landlords and big insurance companies, which all too often do not put the householder first. Their tactic is to ignore and delay and to put numerous hurdles in front of the householder so that, they hope, the householder either gives up or goes away.

The risk to human life that is associated with having damp and mouldy conditions present in a family home is far too great to leave the protection of families to woolly legislation. Does the cabinet secretary seriously believe that it goes far enough?

Màiri McAllan SNP The Cabinet Secretary for Housing · Clydesdale
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To frame Davy Russell’s question in another way, I note that the 2023 Scottish house condition survey showed that 90 per cent of homes in Scotland were free from damp, condensation and mould. Do I think that that goes far enough? No. That is why, this week, we have confirmed that we will implement Awaab’s law, starting with damp and mould, across the private and social rented sectors from spring next year.

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In this meeting

Everything on 4 Sep 2025 →
  1. General Question Time Questions · 1
  2. Older Patients (Care) Questions · 6
  3. Fire Station Services Questions · 6
  4. The Promise Questions · 6
  5. Damp and Mould in Homes Questions · 4
  6. Food Sector (International Exports) Questions · 4
  7. Housing Emergency Questions · 4
  8. Funding (Arts and Public Performance Venues) Questions · 4
  9. Independence (Speech) First Minister’s Questions · 20
  10. National Health Service First Minister’s Questions · 10
  11. Council Tax Debt First Minister’s Questions · 4
  12. Road Traffic Incidents (Trunk Road Network) First Minister’s Questions · 6
  13. Supreme Court Judgment First Minister’s Questions · 8
  14. Water Supply First Minister’s Questions · 11
  15. Methanol Poisoning (Awareness) First Minister’s Questions · 2
  16. Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Aberdeen) First Minister’s Questions · 2
  17. Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill First Minister’s Questions · 2
  18. United Kingdom Budget First Minister’s Questions · 2
  19. Asylum First Minister’s Questions · 2
  20. Saltires (Maryhill) First Minister’s Questions · 2
  21. Homeless Project Scotland First Minister’s Questions · 5
  22. Rail Fares Members’ business · 23
  23. Climate Action and Energy, and Transport Questions · 1
  24. Data Centres (Support) Questions · 10
  25. Commuter Trains (Fife) Questions · 11
  26. Hydrogen Action Plan Questions · 11
  27. Borders Railway (Extension) Questions · 6
  28. Energy Price Cap Questions · 4
  29. Rail Fares (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) Questions · 4
  30. Public Transport Safety Questions · 9
  31. Drug-related Deaths Statement · 43
  32. Water Industry Commission for Scotland (2022-23 and 2023-24 Audits) Debate · 52
  33. Employment Rights Bill Bill debate · 2
  34. Decision Time Decision time · 6

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