Podcast: How Scotland is gearing up for Awaab’s Law

The Investigation and Commencement of Repairs (Scotland) Regulations 2026, inspired by Awaab’s Law, will require landlords to investigate reports of damp and mould and begin repairs within strict timescales. As co‑host Jimmy Black notes, the tragic death of Awaab Ishak remains “a convincing argument for change” and a reminder of the sector’s “collective failure to understand and resolve the causes of dampness, mould and condensation.”

To unpack what the new regime means in practice, hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black are joined by Gregor Morrison, national contractor manager at AICO, and Bob Cairney, director of technical services at SELECT.

AICO has now connected more than 115,000 homes across the UK with environmental sensors measuring carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity. Morrison explains that these generate eight insights, including damp and mould risk categorised as low, medium or high, giving landlords “full visibility of what’s going on within their properties.”

He highlights how real‑time data is transforming practice: “Within a 12‑month period, the high risk dramatically halved… If they never had the sensors in, how would they know what was going on in the property?”

Scotland, he argues, is already well placed for the new duties, with 2.5% of social homes connected despite no national funding — a higher proportion than England.

Both guests emphasise that the new regulations will accelerate a cultural shift.

Cairney says landlords must move decisively: “They have to be proactive… make sure they’ve got adequate processes and procedures in place.”

He also warns that the private rented sector will need to upskill quickly, stressing the importance of using properly qualified electricians as new technologies and statutory requirements expand.

Tenant behaviour, transparency and the ‘Big Brother’ question

The episode also tackles concerns about monitoring in tenants’ homes. Morrison says landlords are increasingly offering tenants access to their own data through apps, helping them understand humidity, ventilation and CO₂ levels: “It’s just educating tenants… that information is very transparent.”

He adds that the data belongs to the property, not the individual, which has helped reduce pushback.

Both guests end with practical advice. Cairney urges landlords to strengthen competence checks for contractors, while Morrison calls for collaboration: “Speak to other housing providers to see what they’re doing… share the genius.”

The conversation goes deeper into real‑time monitoring, the role of qualified contractors, the extension of duties to private landlords, and how Scotland compares with the rest of the UK.

The Scottish Housing News Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

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