Landlords in Scotland are subject to new regulations from today, 6 October 2026, which introduce revised deadlines for addressing issues such as damp and mould in properties. The reforms also bring about higher potential payments for wrongful tenancy termination and alter the criteria for tenancy inheritance.
Under the new rules, private landlords must ensure that a competent person investigates reports of damp or mould within 10 working days of becoming aware of an issue in a property covered by the Repairing Standard. A written summary of the investigation must be provided to the tenant within three working days of its completion. If substantial damp or mould is identified, remedial work must commence within five working days and be completed as soon as reasonably practicable.
For wrongful termination of a tenancy, the potential award has increased from a maximum of six months' rent to between three and 36 times the relevant sum, subject to a statutory calculation. These increased awards apply to cases where tenants leave a property on or after 6 October 2026. Hazel MacIver, policy and campaigns officer for Propertymark, stated that landlords and agents must ensure possession procedures are followed carefully, with eviction grounds being genuine and properly evidenced, given the significant increase in potential awards.
The reforms also reduce the qualifying period for someone to have lived in a property before being eligible to inherit a private residential tenancy following the tenant’s death. This period has been cut from 12 months to six months for relevant tenancies where the tenant dies on or after 6 October 2026. Ms MacIver noted that these changes aim to support grieving families and long-term carers.