Contact your landlord about problems and delays
Let your council or housing association know as soon as there is an issue. They should work with you to resolve any problems.
Use our letter templates if you want to:
Ask for an in person inspection
You can ask for an inspection either:
when you first report damp or mould
later, if you have not had an inspection already
It's often better to ask for an inspection when you first report the problem. It could delay your council or housing association taking action if you wait.
Your landlord has 10 working days to arrange for someone to visit your home. This starts the day after you ask for an inspection.
Letter template: ask your council or housing association to inspect
Copy our template into an email to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: In person inspection of damp and mould in my home]
My name is [your name].
I need an inspection of serious damp and mould at [your address].
I first told you about the problem on [date you reported the damp].
You must investigate and fix serious damp and mould in my home within the timescales in The Hazards in Social Housing (England) Regulations 2025.
Please send me copies of your:
repairs policy
complaints policy
damp and mould policy
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Ask for an in person inspection of damp and mould (docx 18kb)
OpenDocument template: Ask for an in person inspection of damp and mould (odt 10kb)
Contact your landlord about delays
From 27 October 2025, your council or housing association have:
10 working days to investigate serious damp and mould that is not an emergency
5 working days after an investigation to make your home safe
12 weeks to start any further work to stop the damp or mould coming back
Your council or housing association must write to you within 3 working days of their investigation. They must give you target timescales for:
making your home safe
further investigations
further works to stop damp and mould coming back
Serious damp and mould that is an emergency should be investigated and fixed in 24 hours.
They can take longer to fix less serious damp and mould.
More about damp and mould your landlord must fix.
Letter template: tell your landlord about delays
Copy our template into an email to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: Delays to damp and mould repairs in my home]
My name is [your name].
I am the tenant at [your address].
You wrote to me on [date] to tell me that further work or investigations were needed to fix or prevent damp and mould in my home.
Unfortunately I am still waiting for the repairs to be carried out.
The problem is getting worse.
Damp and mould have now spread to [say which rooms are affected]
My family are at risk from damp and mould because of: [give details of any children, older or disabled people who live with you and any health issues]
My belongings have been damaged, including [give details]
You must investigate and fix serious damp and mould in my home within the timescales in The Hazards in Social Housing (England) Regulations 2025.
Please arrange the necessary repairs urgently and contact me with the details.
Please also send me copies of your:
repairs policy
complaints policy
damp and mould policy
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Tell your social landlord about delays to damp and mould repairs in your home (docx 19kb)
OpenDocument template: Tell your social landlord about delays to damp and mould repairs in your home (odt 13kb)
Tell your landlord to stop ignoring you
Your landlord should not ignore you when you tell them about damp and mould in your home.
Make sure you:
keep a diary of all problems and when you spoke to the landlord
get evidence of any damage, for example take photographs
check your tenancy agreement for how to report repairs
Ask your landlord:
for copies of their damp and mould or repairs policies
how to contact their damp and mould officer or team
Remind your landlord about damp and mould in your home
If your landlord has a disrepair line, phone them again. Make sure to tell them that you have reported the problem before.
Always write down:
the date and time
who you spoke to
what they’ve told you
what you’ve told them
Letter template: remind your landlord about damp and mould
Use our letter template to:
follow up a phone conversation
remind your landlord about the problem if you cannot get through on the phone
Copy our template into an email to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: A reminder about damp and mould in my home]
My name is [your name].
I am the tenant at [your address].
I told you about damp and mould in my home on [date you first reported the problem].
You have not inspected my home and have not arranged any repairs.
[Give details of the problem, including if it has got worse since you first reported it.]
Please arrange for an inspection of the property as soon as possible.
You must investigate and fix serious damp and mould in my home within the timescales in The Hazards in Social Housing (England) Regulations 2025.
Please send me copies of your:
repairs policy
complaints policy
damp and mould policy
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Remind your social landlord about damp and mould (docx 19kb)
OpenDocument template: Remind your social landlord about damp and mould (odt 13kb)
If your landlord says the damp and mould is not serious
When you tell your landlord about serious damp and mould, they must:
investigate
tell you what they decide
fix it within set timelines if it's serious
Serious damp and mould is called an emergency or significant hazard.
You can challenge your landlord if they say that damp and mould in your home is not serious.
Your landlord's contact details should be on the letter or email they send you.
Letter template: Tell your landlord you disagree with their decision
Copy our template into an email to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: Your decision about damp and mould in my home]
My name is [your name].
I am the tenant at [your address].
You wrote to me on [date] to say that the damp and mould in my home is not very serious.
I disagree with your decision.
Damp and mould in my home is very serious because [give details how it affects you].
Please arrange for an inspection of the property as soon as possible.
You must investigate and fix serious damp and mould in my home within the timescales in The Hazards in Social Housing (England) Regulations 2025.
I will make a formal complaint if I do not hear from you.
Please send me copies of your:
repairs policy
complaints policy
damp and mould policy
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Disagree with a decision on damp and mould (docx 19kb)
OpenDocument template: Disagree with a decision on damp and mould (odt 13kb)
Tell your landlord not to blame you for damp and mould
Your landlord should not blame you for damp and mould.
They should always look for the cause of damp and mould in your home.
They might have to use a damp and mould expert if they are not sure what is causing the problem or it keeps coming back. This expert is called a surveyor.
If a damp and mould surveyor says that damp and mould are caused by something you do, your landlord should work with you to find a solution.
You landlord can ask you to take simple steps, for example:
use extractor fans
not block air vents
cover pans when cooking
maintain a reasonable temperature
open a window after showering or having a bath
If drying clothes indoors makes damp and mould worse, your landlord should provide somewhere else for you to dry your clothes.
You can ask your landlord to consider how much it costs if they tell you to use a tumble dryer or put heating on more often.
Letter template: tell your landlord not to blame your lifestyle
Copy our template into an email to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: You've told me damp and mould in my home is my fault]
My name is [your name].
I am the tenant at [your address].
I notified you about damp and mould in my home.
On [date when your landlord told you damp and mould were your fault] you told me it was my fault.
I strongly disagree with your statement.
I have followed all advice you have given me, including [give details of what advice your landlord gave you and how you followed it].
You must investigate and fix serious damp and mould in my home within the timescales in The Hazards in Social Housing (England) Regulations 2025.
The Housing Ombudsman has told social landlords:
not to blame tenants for damp and mould
to investigate the underlying cause of damp and mould
to consider if a property is fit to live in if damp and mould is caused by everyday living
You should appoint a damp and mould surveyor if you are not sure how to deal with the problem in my home.
Please arrange for someone to get in touch as soon as possible.
Please also send me copies of your:
repairs policy
complaints policy
damp and mould policy
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Tell your social landlord not to blame you for damp and mould (docx 19kb)
OpenDocument template: Tell your social landlord not to blame you for damp and mould (odt 13kb)
Tell your landlord that damp and mould keep coming back
Your landlord must investigate why damp and mould keep coming back.
Damp and mould in your home can be caused by many different things, like problems with leaking pipes, a faulty roof, or not enough ventilation or insulation.
Your landlord should:
investigate the reason why damp and mould keep coming back
treat the underlying cause
If your landlord says things like 'open your windows more' or 'it's just condensation' but the problem keeps coming back, they might have to investigate again.
They might have to use a damp and mould expert. This expert is called a surveyor.
Letter template: damp and mould that keep coming back
Copy our template into an email to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: Damp and mould in my home keep coming back]
My name is [your name].
I am the tenant at [your address].
I notified you about damp and mould in my home.
On [date] you did the following repairs in my home: [list work that was done].
But on [date] I noticed that the mould had come back.
I would like you to investigate why damp and mould keep coming back. You must find and fix the underlying cause.
You must investigate and fix serious damp and mould in my home within the timescales in The Hazards in Social Housing (England) Regulations 2025.
Please send me copies of your:
repairs policy
complaints policy
damp and mould policy
I look forward to hearing from you.
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or by post:
Word template: Tell your social landlord that damp and mould keeps coming back (docx 19kb)
OpenDocument template: Tell your social landlord that damp and mould keeps coming back (odt 10kb)
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Last updated: 27 October 2025
