How to tell your landlord about damp and mould
Tell your council or housing association about any repair problems in your home, including damp and mould.
To find out how to tell your landlord, check:
your landlord's website
your tenancy agreement
the tenant handbook
There might be an online form, email address or telephone number to use.
Some landlords have a damp and mould contact or team.
Get photos of the problem to send to your landlord.
Use our template
Copy this template into an email or letter to the repairs team.
[Use the subject: Damp and mould]
My name is [your name]
I am the tenant at [your address]
I have damp and mould in my home.
[Tell them about the problem, including:
what rooms it is in
how long it has lasted
if you've told them about it before
Include photos if you have them.]
This affects my health and wellbeing because...
[Tell them about any physical or mental health problems caused by the damp and mould. Say if there are any young children or elderly, ill or disabled people in the property.]
Please send me a copy of your repairs policy and your damp and mould policy.
The government and Housing Ombudsman have told social landlords to have a zero tolerance policy on damp and mould. They should find and fix the problems that cause damp and mould and not blame tenants.
The Housing Ombudsman has also said that landlords should inspect damp and mould straight away.
Please arrange an inspection of the property as soon as possible.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Word template: Tell your social landlord about damp and mould (docx 18kb)
OpenDocument template: Tell your social landlord about damp and mould (odt 10kb)
Get proof they got the message if you can, like a reference number, message received note on an email, or send letters recorded delivery.
Keep a record of:
when you got in touch
what you told your landlord
when they replied and what they said
After you tell your landlord
Your landlord should inspect your home to find the cause of damp and mould.
You can check their repairs or damp and mould policy to see how soon this should happen.
It could depend on:
how bad the problem is
if anyone in your home is more at risk from damp and mould, like children or elderly people
Find out more about:
Need more advice?
Last updated: 30 October 2024
