Glasgow Damp and Mould: Tenement Closes, Factors and a Social Housing Heartland

Glasgow's homes are mostly flats: 68.5%, against 34.4% across Scotland. Central Glasgow is largely tenement flats built from sandstone or granite, solid-wall buildings around a shared close, and about 48,200 households rent privately. A fault in one flat's roof, gutters or shared stonework routinely shows up as damp several floors below, so many cases involve a factor or several owners rather than a single landlord.

Glasgow in numbers (compared with Scotland)

• Private rented households: 16.4% (Scotland 12.4%); social rented: 34.9% (Scotland 22.5%)
• Terraced homes: 12.3% (Scotland 18.2%); flats: 68.5% (Scotland 34.4%)
• Homes with no central heating: 3.3% (Scotland 2.1%)
• Overcrowded households: 4.7% (Scotland 2.4%)
• Properties at medium flood risk (rivers, sea and surface water combined): 15% (Scotland 12.5%)
• Rainfall: about 1,153 mm a year at Springburn, roughly two miles away

What does 1,153 mm of rain do to a tenement?

More than a metre of rain a year puts constant pressure on old pointing, chimney heads, flashings and communal gutters. Penetrating damp is among the most common causes of damp in these buildings. Where the cause is a communal roof or gutter, remediation can be slow because repair obligations are shared and decisions need agreement.

Overcrowding and heating

Overcrowding is 4.7%, almost double the Scottish figure of 2.4%, and 3.3% of homes have no central heating, against 2.1%. Both push towards condensation: more moisture produced indoors, and cold walls for it to settle on. A landlord should rule out these causes with the tenant before concluding a problem is purely structural.

A big social housing sector

At 34.9%, social renting is far above the Scottish figure of 22.5%, so social landlords and private landlords are working in the same tenement streets and often the same buildings. In a mixed-tenure close, a fix to a shared roof helps every flat, which is a good reason for a private landlord to engage with neighbours and the factor early.

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), which sits in Glasgow.

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 Glasgow damp and mould page, and the council's page on the condition of your home.