Damp and mould in your rented home: what to do

Tell your landlord in writing, with photos and dates. Social landlords now have legal deadlines to investigate and fix damp and mould. Private landlords don't have fixed deadlines yet, but they do have to keep your home in repair and fit to live in. If nothing happens, the council's environmental health team can step in.

We don't pass tenants' details to specialists, because the repair is your landlord's job. This guide is free information for tenants in England. It isn't legal advice; the links go to the official sources and to Shelter, which can advise you.

1. Report it in writing

A phone call is fine to start, but follow it up in writing: email, the landlord's online portal, a text or a letter. Writing proves when your landlord knew, and for social tenants the legal deadlines run from when the landlord becomes aware of the problem. Keep a copy of everything you send and receive.

Say:

• which rooms are affected and where (for example, "bedroom, the outside wall behind the bed")
• when you first noticed it and whether it's getting worse
• anything you think might be causing it: a leak, a broken extractor fan, water coming in after rain
• if anyone in the home is more at risk, such as a baby, an older person, someone pregnant or someone with asthma or another health condition
• that you're asking them to investigate and fix it, and when you're available for a visit

A short example you can adapt:

I'm writing to report damp and mould at [address]. There is black mould on the ceiling and outside wall of the main bedroom and around the bathroom window, and it has been getting worse since [month]. The bathroom extractor fan doesn't work. My [child / partner] has asthma. Please arrange for someone to investigate and repair the cause. I'm available on [days and times]. Photos attached, taken on [date].

2. Take photos and keep a diary

• Photograph each affected area, close up and from further back so the room can be recognised. Your phone records the date.
• Take new photos every couple of weeks, and after heavy rain if it gets worse then.
• Photograph damaged belongings, such as clothes, shoes, furniture or bedding.
• Keep a simple diary: when you reported it, who you spoke to, visits, what was said and done.
• Keep a note of any GP or hospital visits you think are linked, in case you need it later.

3. How long should it take?

Council and housing association tenants

In force Under Awaab's Law, since 27 October 2025 social landlords have to investigate damp and mould that could seriously harm your health within 10 working days, tell you what they found in writing within 3 working days after that, and do work to make your home safe within 5 working days of the investigation. Emergencies must be dealt with within 24 hours. The government's guide for social housing tenants explains this, and so does our Awaab's Law guide.

Private tenants

Proposed There are no fixed deadlines yet for private landlords. The government is consulting until 18 December 2026 on giving private tenants similar protections, but no start date is set.

In force In the meantime your landlord must keep the structure, outside, drains, gutters, pipes, heating and hot water in repair (section 11), and keep the home fit to live in, which includes being free from damp (section 9A and section 10 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985). Repairs should be done within a reasonable time, which depends on how serious the problem is.

4. If your landlord doesn't act

Private tenants: the council

Your local council's environmental health team (sometimes called private sector housing) can inspect your home using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which treats damp and mould as a hazard. Gov.uk says the council must take action if it thinks the problems could harm you. That can include an improvement notice ordering the landlord to do the work.

Search your council's website for "report a private landlord" or "housing disrepair". Our local pages link straight to the right page for Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton. Shelter has a guide to complaining to environmental health, with a template letter.

You can also take your landlord to court for disrepair or because the home isn't fit to live in. Get advice first.

Council and housing association tenants

Use your landlord's complaints process and keep the reference number. If that doesn't sort it, you can take it to the Housing Ombudsman, which deals with complaints about social landlords (gov.uk explains how). Shelter's page on damp and mould in social housing covers your options, including legal action.

5. While you wait

• Use the extractor fan if there is one, open a window a little after showers and cooking, and keep some heat on in cold weather if you can afford to.
• Wipe condensation off windows in the morning. Move furniture a few centimetres away from outside walls.
• Small patches of mould on hard surfaces can be wiped off, but don't paint over mould, and keep photos from before you clean.

None of this shifts the responsibility onto you. The damp or condensation guide helps you describe what you're seeing.

Health

The NHS website now refers people to the government's guidance on the health risks of damp and mould. It says damp and mould can affect anyone, and that some people are more at risk, including children, older people, pregnant women and people with lung conditions such as asthma. If you're worried about your health or a child's, talk to your GP or a pharmacist, and tell your landlord that someone in the home is at greater risk.

Where to get advice

• Shelter England: damp and mould in rented homes
• Gov.uk: private renting repairs
• Gov.uk: Awaab's Law guidance for social tenants

Facts, dates and prices on this page were last checked on 29 October 2026.