Dundee Damp and Mould: Jute-Boom Tenements, Post-War Estates and Student HMOs

Dundee has an extensive tenement stock built during the city's 19th-century jute-industry boom, plus significant post-war estate housing and a large student HMO market in older tenements near the centre. With 47.3% of homes flats (Scotland 34.4%) and 20.6% of households renting privately (Scotland 12.4%), tenement damp and heavy occupancy are the two things to look for.

Dundee in numbers (compared with Scotland)

• Private rented households: 20.6% (Scotland 12.4%); social rented: 26.2% (Scotland 22.5%)
• Terraced homes: 12.6% (Scotland 18.2%); flats: 47.3% (Scotland 34.4%)
• Homes with no central heating: 3.0% (Scotland 2.1%)
• Overcrowded households: 3.2% (Scotland 2.4%)
• Properties at medium flood risk (rivers, sea and surface water combined): 10% (Scotland 12.5%)
• Rainfall: about 749 mm a year at Mylnefield, roughly four miles away

Heating gaps and overcrowding

Three per cent of Dundee homes have no central heating, above the Scottish figure of 2.1%, and overcrowding is 3.2%, above 2.4%. Both raise condensation risk. Combined flood risk, by contrast, is below the Scottish figure, so for most lets a landlord should start by looking at ventilation, heating and the building fabric rather than flooding.

Student HMOs in older tenements

A shared flat with several tenants produces a lot of moisture, and an old tenement has cold external walls and limited drying space. Three habits reduce the risk:

• Extractor fans that run on a humidity sensor or timer
• Heating that reaches every room, with a sensible background temperature
• A written ventilation and heating guide handed over at each new tenancy

Tenement fabric and post-war estates

Older tenements need regular attention to roofs, gutters and stonework, and repair duties are often shared, so agree responsibilities with other owners early. For post-war estate homes, check what the walls and roofs are made of before choosing a repair, because construction varies widely.

What landlords must do in Scotland

In Scotland, the Repairing Standard under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 already requires a private rented home to be free from damp and mould posing a significant health risk. Since 6 October 2026 the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 also require private landlords to investigate reports of damp and mould within set timescales and complete repairs within a reasonable time. A tenant whose landlord does not act can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).

Awaab's Law as it applies in England does not apply in Scotland, which has its own regulations. For the wider UK picture, see our guide to Awaab's Law and the private rented sector.

To find a specialist, see our Dundee damp and mould page.