What to do if there is damp and mould in your rented property
Why you shouldn't ignore it
Damp and mould can cause physical and mental health problems and should not be ignored. The information below is for people who live in a rented home and have concerns about damp and mould in their property.
Recognising the signs
A certain amount of condensation by windows and other cold surfaces in a home is normal during the winter, especially in bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Left untreated, small amounts of mould can grow in these areas, which should be cleaned. This is not the same as a property having problems with damp and mould.
Problems with damp and mould tend to cover larger areas. Mould might be harder to remove and cover corners of rooms or whole walls. Rooms may ‘feel’ damp and may be hard to heat.
There can be several causes, for example:
- Inadequate damp-proofing and poor ventilation
- ‘Rising’ damp often happens lower on a wall and is caused by water getting into the home from the ground
- Damp caused by leaks in walls, roofs and pipes can happen anywhere but is usually worst near to the leak
- Damp due to poor ventilation can cause problems all over a room
Mould is not the cause of the problem but something that happens because of damp problems. Sometimes it is obvious but in a damp room it can also commonly be found behind or inside cupboards where air isn’t circulating.
Your landlord has a responsibility to investigate the cause of damp and mould and take reasonable steps to address the issue quickly. It is not enough for them to just advise you to open windows without investigating properly.
How to report it
It’s a good idea to take pictures if you can and make a note of dates when you have noticed problems.
Normally you should report the issue to your landlord or letting agent first. They must:
- Take seriously any issues that damp and mould are causing to your health, or the health of any person living in your property.
- Investigate the problem promptly and take steps to find out what is causing the damp and mould.
- Take remedial action. Proper procedures for dealing with damp and mould should be followed and they should use appropriately qualified persons for carrying out any work.
- Follow up the issue to make sure it has been dealt with.
They must not:
- Blame you. It may be that your habits are contributing to the problem, and they can ask you to do something different, but they must not use this to avoid dealing with an underlying problem.
- Put unreasonable expectations on you. For example, if you live in a property that is facing a busy street or on the ground floor, it is not reasonable to expect you to open windows where that might pose a health or security risk.
If you have reported the problem to your landlord and you are not happy with how they have dealt with it, you can talk to us and our Housing Standards team can inspect and advise. If your landlord needs to take action. If necessary, we can take enforcement action. We will also give you advice if we think that will help to deal with the problem.
Dealing with damp and mould
How damp and mould is dealt with depends on what is causing it. If the problem is to do with how the property is protected against damp, it might mean some structural work is needed. Insulation might be the answer, or improved ventilation.
Any investigation should explain the cause and what work is needed to address it.
Any work should be carried out by someone who is properly qualified. Issues and actions should be recorded, and your landlord should keep you informed of this.
Help from us
Our Housing Standards team help both tenants and landlords. Our job is to make sure that rented homes are safe and meet regulations.
We can:
- Do our own survey of your home to identify all hazards (not just damp and mould)
- Work with tenants to improve conditions
- Work with landlords to ensure hazards are managed
- Take enforcement action to make sure hazards are managed
If you want help or advice from the Housing Standards team, email housing.standards@west-norfolk.gov.uk, contact us on our live chat or call on 01553 616200.
Renters’ Rights Bill
A law will be coming into force soon that prevents ‘no fault’ evictions. This means your landlord can’t evict you without a good reason. It’s designed to protect tenants from unfair eviction, for example because they have complained about the condition of a property or outstanding repairs.