Moray Council reports progress on tackling damp, mould and condensation
Moray Council has made significant progress in improving how it responds to damp, mould and condensation in council homes as it prepares for new Scottish legislation coming into force on 6 October 2026.
A report to the Housing and Community Safety Committee highlights improvements made since January 2026, including the creation of a dedicated, trained inspection team; investment in new technology; and updated procedures to ensure faster investigations and repairs.
Performance during the first quarter of 2026/27 shows the average time taken to inspect reported cases has reduced from 12.5 days to just three days, while repeat reports have fallen from 47% to 20%, suggesting issues are being resolved more effectively.
The report also notes that the average time taken to complete repairs is now 20 days, meeting the council's revised repair target and helping prepare for the new legal requirements. Tenants are also encouraged to provide feedback on their experience reporting damp and mould issues, which is used to improve service delivery.
The report also highlights challenges encountered during the rollout of the new approach. ICT issues affected the consistent issuing of tenancy summary reports until May 2026. These problems have now largely been resolved through automation, although occasional delays can still occur.
Chair of the Housing and Community Safety Committee, Cllr Amber Dunbar, said: “Everyone deserves to live in a safe, warm and healthy home. The improvements highlighted in this report show the positive impact of investing in dedicated staff, better technology and stronger processes.
“We're seeing faster inspections, fewer repeat cases and improved repair times, which is making a real difference for tenants. While there have been challenges, particularly with ICT systems earlier this year, we have been open about these issues and taken action to address them.
“There is still work to do, but these results show we are making good progress and are well prepared for the introduction of the new legislation next month.”