(Scotland) Written Summary of Damp and Mould Investigation – Template
Under the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026, landlords must investigate reports of damp or mould within set timescales and provide tenants with a Written Summary of the investigation findings.
Fact sheet: The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026
New regulations introduce strict timescales for investigating and responding to damp and mould in rented homes across Scotland. Read this fact sheet to understand the new duties, the deadlines landlords must meet and what happens when action cannot be taken within the required timeframe.
Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 Toolkit
The toolkit breaks down the Act and its implementation, including guidance, fact sheets, timelines, and resources to help you prepare for the changes.
The Housing (Scotland) Bill has passed, but change is still some way off
The legislation completed Stage 3 in the Scottish Parliament on 30 September and gained Royal Assent on 6 November 2025. The Act provides a framework for rent control, fresh rights for tenants to keep pets, and stronger tools to prevent homelessness. However, most of the key measures require further consultation and regulations, meaning agents and landlords are unlikely to see rent controls in place until 2028.
Rent controls and exemptions under the spotlight as Housing Bill reaches final stage
Stage 3 proceedings for the Housing (Scotland) Bill began on 23 September 2025 in the Scottish Parliament. MSPs are considering around 400 amendments over two days before holding a final vote on whether the Bill should become law. This marks the last opportunity to shape one of the most significant reforms to renting in Scotland since the introduction of the Private Residential Tenancy.
Exemptions regime must be balanced and incentivise upgrades
Propertymark has responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on how powers in the Housing (Scotland) Bill could be used to exempt properties from rent control, allow rents to rise above the cap in certain circumstances, and change the way joint tenancies are ended.
Building the best future for the Scottish housing sector?
The Scottish Government has set out detailed plans to tackle Scotland’s ongoing housing challenges in its Programme for Government 2025-26, with significant implications for property agents across the country. Propertymark welcomes the renewed focus on affordable housing and tenant protections, issues we have consistently highlighted through our policy engagement, particularly with regard to the Housing (Scotland) Bill. However, we reiterate our stance that truly resolving Scotland’s housing crisis requires the Scottish Government to urgently reassess the broader financial landscape affecting housing.
Warning over rent spikes in the vacuum between Cost of Living and Housing Bill
The Scottish Government is rolling the Housing (Scotland) Bill through the Scottish Parliament which will introduce new permanent rent control and adjudication regulations. However, between 31 March 2025 and the enactment of the Bill, there will be a period when rent assessments revert to pre-Cost of Living Act terms.
Propertymark shares member voices in Housing Bill forum
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, provided evidence on the Housing (Scotland) Bill to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee of the Scottish Government on 28 January 2025, highlighting significant concerns from our members and stressing the proposed measures fail to address the critical housing supply challenges.
A Housing (Scotland) Bill that doesn't build a single house draws strong criticism from MSPs
The Bill passed Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament on 28 November 2024. During the debate, a spokesperson for the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, criticised the Scottish Government for failure to come to parliament with fully developed legislation, whilst the Scottish Conservatives refused to support it due to the detrimental impact on housing investment. Propertymark continues to vigorously campaign for urgent action to amend the Bill with measures to increase housing supply and balance the market to ensure fairer outcomes for tenants, landlords, and the wider housing sector.
FAQs: Housing (Scotland) Bill
On 26 March 2024, the Scottish Government published the Housing (Scotland) Bill. The Bill is a significant piece of legislation that will have implications for letting agents and their landlords. Here we answer some of the most frequent questions about the proposals contained in the Bill.
Ministers should not ignore Housing (Scotland) Bill report findings
The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee has published its Stage 1 Report on the general principles of the Housing (Scotland) Bill. Propertymark gave evidence to the Committee in June 2024, and it is pleasing to see our commentary and suggestions to amend the Bill referenced throughout the report.
Housing Bill is unworkable in its current form
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, gave evidence to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee in the Scottish Parliament on 18 June 2024 as part of the stage one consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill. Propertymark believes the Bill must be significantly amended before the Scottish Government’s policy objective to deliver safe, good quality, affordable homes for all can be achieved.
Housing (Scotland) Bill published
Introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 26 March 2024, the Bill sets out plans to make changes to the law, covering rent controls, tenants’ rights to keep pets and decorate their homes, and a mechanism to delay evictions under certain circumstances.
Strong message delivered on rental reform proposals
Propertymark continues to assert there is no advantage to introducing rent controls and urges Scottish Ministers to properly evaluate the evidence both from UK and across the world. Whilst formulating our response to the most recent engagement questionnaire we hosted a roundtable with members and Scottish Government officials where the strength of feeling from agents was clearly communicated.