Awaab's Law deadline calculator

Enter the date you were told about damp or mould and this works out your Awaab's Law deadlines: when the investigation must be finished, when the tenant's written summary is due, and when repairs must start. It skips weekends and Scottish bank holidays, and counts from the day after, as the rules require.

How the days are counted

A working day is any day except a Saturday, a Sunday or a Scottish bank holiday. Every period starts on the day after whatever set it off, so the day you're told never counts. The summary and repair deadlines count from the day the investigation finishes, again starting the day after.

For social landlords, the 20 working days to finish repairs follow the same rule: they start the day after the work begins.

Here's a worked example. A tenant emails you on Thursday 19 November 2026, so counting starts on Friday 20 November. Monday 30 November is St Andrew's Day, a Scottish bank holiday, so it's skipped. The investigation has to be finished by Friday 4 December. If it finishes that day, the written summary is due by Wednesday 9 December and repairs need to start by Friday 11 December.

The bank holiday dates come from GOV.UK's official list for Scotland, including substitute days. Our copy runs to 26 December 2028. If a deadline would fall after that, the calculator tells you rather than guessing.

If you can't meet a deadline

Sometimes things outwith your control get in the way: bad weather, illness, a contractor letting you down, or a tenant you can't get access from. The Scottish Government guidance says that when that happens you must:

• tell the tenant which duty you can't meet, why, and the new timeframe you'll meet it in
• keep clear records of every attempt to comply, because you may have to show the delay really was out of your hands
• take reasonable steps in the meantime to limit the damp or mould, such as temporary mould removal, temporary ventilation, or sealing a leak where it's safe to

Our landlord checklist puts all the steps in order, and the Awaab's Law guide covers the rest of the rules.

Sources

Last checked 26 October 2026 against the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 (SSI 2026 No. 173) and the Scottish Government's Awaab's Law: Guidance for landlords in Scotland. Bank holidays from GOV.UK.

This isn't legal advice. It's a counting tool. For a particular case, check the dates against the regulations yourself or speak to a solicitor or a landlord association.

Need someone there before the deadline?

Tell us about the property and we'll pass it to one local damp and mould specialist, free. They quote you directly. Our page for landlords and letting agents explains what to ask them for.