Advice on how to prevent damp and mould in your home, and how to report it, can be found below.

Do I have condensation problems?

Typical signs include:

  • Seasonal between September to March/April
  • Water trickling down the inside of windows
  • Damp patches on the wall especially behind furniture and in corners
  • Wallpaper peeling off
  • Black dots on window frames
  • Mould growth/black mould starting to appear
  • Soft furnishings and fabrics become prone to mould or mildew.

Do I have rising damp?

Typical signs include:

  • Damp patches that start at the base of a wall and gradually move upwards
  • Skirting boards or plaster that are damp ore rotting
  • Floor coverings such as tiles, vinyl or carpet that are wet or lifting
  • Peeling paint or wallpaper lifting from the bottom of the wall
  • Yellow or brown tide marks of staining on the wall

The signs of penetrating damp are similar to rising and condensation. 

Typical signs include:

  • Staining to external walls
  • Damaged decoration, deterioration and staining on internal walls
  • Damaged plaster, wet and crumbling, blistering, disintegration
  • Rotting floorboards and skirting
  • Localised dampness, random damp patches at high to low levels that grow in size when in contact with moisture
  • Mould growth visible and a musty smell
  • Drips, puddles, pooled water
  • Brick damage, damage to the brickwork can allow moisture in.

What are the health implications?

  • Mould spores, dust mites, pet hair and tobacco smoke are triggers which can worsen asthma and chest conditions and can affect your mental health and wellbeing
  • A prolonged exposure to these allergens can also increase a sensitivity reaction such as sneezing, runny nose, eczema, coughs and wheezing, particularly for those aged 14 and under
  • House dust mites droppings can cause a sensitive reaction when breathed in.

Tips to reduce moisture

  • Leave trickle vents (slotted vents in the window or window frames) open when rooms are occupied even in the winter when your heating is on.
  • The kitchen and bathroom extractor fans should be used when cooking and showering and left on for a period of time afterwards. When using the kitchen or bathroom, try and keep the door closed when possible so that moist or stale air is contained within the room for the extractor fan to remove. While cooking, try and cover all pots and pans and avoid leaving anything on the boil for too long to help reduce the steam created.
  • Furniture should be kept clear of the external walls to allow better air circulation. If unable to keep well clear, keep at least a small gap between the walls and furniture, particularly against “cold walls” and allow ventilation of any cupboards to keep air flow moving.
  • Washing should not be dried indoors. If this is not possible, avoid drying laundry on a clothes airer or radiator. If you need to dry clothes indoors, open the window and close the door of the room where the clothes are drying, so that moisture can escape outside rather than circulate around your home. If you use a vented tumble dryer, make sure it is properly vented to an open window or door or through an outside wall.
  • As it is cold air that causes warm air to release moisture, keep heating levels within the property at a constant and moderate temperature.
  • Avoid using portable gas or paraffin heaters. They may keep you warm, but aside from being very expensive to run, the fuel they burn releases high levels of water vapour into your home, making it not only muggy and uncomfortable, but importantly also substantially increasing the risk of condensation.

What are we doing?

  • If the issues regarding condensation damp and/or mould continue after following these steps, contact the council and we will arrange a visit with one of our trained officers.
  • We can also arrange for a specialist contractor to visit your home to undertake an investigation.
  • From the investigation report we can then work to resolve the condensation and damp issues.
  • If we need to install dehumidifiers temporarily in your home we will reimburse you for the cost of the additional electricity.
  • If redecoration is required as a result of our having to carry out damp or mould-related works to your home we will pay for the reasonable cost of that redecoration.

Report damp and mould issues

You can use the online form below to report damp and mould issues. Alternatively, please call 01509 634666.

Report damp and mould issues online

We recognise we don’t always get things right, and if you are unhappy with the way we have dealt with a report of damp and / or mould you have already made, you can make a complaint to us or approach the housing ombudsman directly. 

More information can be found on our complaints process webpage.

Damp and Mould Advice and Guidance Leaflet

We have produced a leaflet for council tenants that features advice and guidance on damp and mould:

Damp and Mould Framework

More information about our approach to dealing with damp and mould can be found in the document below:

Last updated: Tue 30th April, 2024 @ 12:03