How to deal with damp and mould in social housing
This advice is for council and housing association tenants.
We have different advice about damp and mould for private tenants.
How to spot damp and mould
Find out more about:
Who is responsible for damp and mould
Your council or housing association must fix damp and mould if it:
makes your home unfit to live in
is caused by a problem with your home, like a leaking pipe, faulty roof or a crack in the wall
More about who is responsible for damp and mould in your home.
Tell your landlord about damp and mould
You need to tell your landlord straight away about damp and mould in your home.
Find out what to say. You can use our letter template.
What your landlord should do
Your council or housing association should:
inspect your home
find the cause of damp and mould and fix it
More about what your landlord should do.
Contact your landlord about problems and delays
Your council or housing association should work with you to find a solution.
Use our letter templates to email or write to your landlord. For example, if they:
blame you for damp and mould
take a long time to do repairs
ignore you
Your landlord might fix the problem if you show them you know your rights.
Moving out because of damp and mould
Your council or housing association might ask you to move so that they can fix damp and mould.
Or you might feel that finding somewhere else to live is the only option.
More about moving out because of damp and mould.
How to complain
You can complain if your landlord is not dealing with damp and mould properly.
You have to complain to your landlord first. You can then take your complaint further to the Housing Ombudsman.
Find out how to complain about your landlord.
Court action and compensation
The court can tell your council or housing association to:
pay you compensation
fix damp and mould in your home
More about taking court action for damp and mould.
Need more advice?
Use our advice pages to find the information you need.
Last updated: 30 October 2024
