Damp and mould in council and housing association homes
Advice on this page is for council and housing association tenants.
Read this instead if you have damp in a private rented home.
Deal with damp in your home
Tell your landlord about the problem
Government guidance says councils and housing associations must take complaints about damp and mould seriously.
Keep a record of all conversations, emails and text messages.
Use our letter template to report damp to your landlord.
Let your landlord inspect
Your landlord must try and find out what's causing damp and mould.
You should give your landlord access to your home.
They can:
contact you to agree a suitable date and time to visit
send a contractor or a damp expert to inspect your home
Check your landlord's damp or repairs policy to find out how soon they must act.
How fast they must act could depend on:
how serious the problem is
if anyone who lives with you is vulnerable to damp and mould
Your landlord should get back to you urgently if your health is at risk.
Getting an expert opinion
Your landlord should:
decide early if an expert opinion is needed
act on the expert's advice
use a qualified expert
They should share the report with you and help you understand things that are not clear.
You could get your own expert opinion if:
your landlord refuses to get one
you disagree with their findings
Getting an expert opinion can be expensive. You could ask your landlord to give you the expert fee back when you complain to them. But they could refuse.
You can search for a surveyor on the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) website.
RICS is a professional body that regulates surveyors and building experts.
Damp and mould your landlord must fix
Your landlord must fix problems that cause damp, such as a:
structural problem
faulty installation
Your landlord must also fix damp and mould if it makes your home unfit to live in.
Other things your landlord must fix include:
leaking internal pipes
broken boilers and heating systems
cracked walls or rotten window frames
leaking roofs, missing roof tiles or faulty guttering
Your landlord is also responsible for extractor fans they've installed.
Your landlord should check if damp and mould return at least 6 weeks after the repairs.
They should also fix any damage caused by doing the repairs, for example redecorate, replace any damaged plaster, skirting boards or carpets.
Signs of problems with the structure
Damp patches on external walls can be a sign of penetrating damp.
Penetrating damp is when water gets into the property from outside. For example, through gaps and cracks in the brickwork.
Your landlord may have to replace the old mortar to fix the problem.
Improvements to fix damp and mould
Improvements are different to repairs.
Landlords do not usually have to make improvements.
But your landlord may have to make improvements if repairs do not fix the problem.
For example, your landlord may have to:
insulate the walls and roof
improve ventilation by installing a ventilation system
Condensation problems
Condensation is the most common cause of mould.
It happens when moisture in the air meets a cold surface, like a window or an external wall.
Your landlord should not:
tell you that damp problems are just condensation without checking
paint over damp and mould that keeps coming back
tell you to stop doing everyday things such as cooking or showering
Steps you can take
It can help if you:
open windows regularly
cover pans when you're cooking
dry clothes outdoors or in a dryer
use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom
leave a gap between furniture and external walls
wipe condensation from window sills each morning
close internal doors when you're cooking or showering
You can use the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings online tool to check what else you could do to keep moisture low in your home.
Condensation is often worse in cold properties.
You could get help with bills if you are struggling with rising energy costs.
If you keep getting condensation
Tell your landlord if you've taken these steps but still have damp and mould.
Your landlord should:
check why the property cannot cope with everyday living
fixt the underlying problem, such as not enough insulation or ventilation
Example: How your landlord should work with you
Councils and housing associations should not blame tenants or dismiss complaints about condensation as a 'lifestyle problem'.
For example, if you live in a flat with no outside space to dry clothes, your landlord should:
check how to improve ventilation
consider how the cost of living crisis affects paying for heating and energy
Make a complaint about damp
You can complain to your landlord if they do not fix the problem. If you have complained and the issue is still unresolved, you can ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate.
Complain to your landlord first
You can make a formal complaint to your landlord if you think they have done something wrong.
For example, if they:
did not follow their policies
took too long to fix the problem
refused to deal with damp and mould
said you had to fix damp and mould problems
said they would deal with the problem but did nothing
carried out repairs that did not make things better or caused other problems
Keep a record of all conversations, emails and text messages.
Complain to the Housing Ombudsman
You can ask the Housing Ombudsman to look at your case.
They can tell your landlord:
how to put things right
to pay you compensation
to repay you the cost of getting an expert opinion
The Housing Ombudsman regulates council and housing association housing services.
They have said that councils and housing associations should:
be proactive and avoid blaming tenants
treat complaints about damp and mould seriously
train their staff to recognise early signs of damp and mould
Tell the Ombudsman if your landlord has not followed this advice.
You can read the Housing Ombudsman's report on damp and mould to find out more about your landlord's responsibilities.
Court action for damp and mould
If the problems with damp and mould are serious, you could:
get free legal help if you get benefits or have a low income
look into a conditional fee agreement, also known as 'no win no fee'
The court could order the landlord to do the necessary work and pay you compensation.
Find out more about taking your landlord to court for repairs.
Ask environmental health for help
You can ask the council for an environmental health inspection if you rent from a housing association.
The council can order your landlord to fix damp and mould.
But they are unlikely to help unless the problem with damp and mould is serious. Make sure you have evidence of this when you contact them.
You should be able to find environmental health contact details on your council's website.
If your landlord asks you to move out to do repairs
Your landlord may ask you to move into another property until the repairs are finished.
This is sometimes called being decanted.
Check your tenancy agreement and ask your landlord for a copy of their decanting or repairs policy to see what should happen.
Let your landlord know if the temporary property they've offered is not suitable, for example because:
you live with small children or a disabled person
it's too far from work or school
it's too expensive
Keep evidence of your landlord's response.
In most cases you should be able to move back in as soon as repairs are completed.
Paying rent for two homes
You could argue it's not reasonable to charge you rent on both properties.
But do not stop paying your rent.
Tell your landlord if you cannot afford to pay. Your landlord might have to think about a different solution.
Get benefits advice. You could get benefits to pay rent on two homes.
If you're asked to move out permanently
Your landlord might decide that you need to move out permanently because:
the repairs are very serious
your home is going to be rebuilt or knocked down
They will usually offer you another home. But they do not always have to do this.
You can ask:
why it is not possible to return to your home after the work is done
what other housing they could offer
Always check if your landlord has to offer you another property.
Your landlord might have to do it if either:
you have a secure or flexible tenancy
your tenancy agreement says so
If your landlord starts court action to evict you, they:
must show that the works cannot be done while you live there
might have to show they offered you a suitable alternative home
You could get home loss or disturbance payments and removal expenses.
Get legal advice if your landlord applies to court.
If you want to move out because of damp and mould
You could get more priority:
on the council waiting list to get another home
Do not give up a council or housing association home to rent privately.
You would:
pay more rent
have less protection from eviction
find it even harder to get problems fixed
If conditions in your home are so bad that it's not safe or reasonable to live there, you can ask the council's homeless team for help.
Last updated: 2 October 2023