Damp and mould in your rental property

Types and cause of damp and mould, how to identify and prevent it, what to do if there's damp or mould in your property and your responsibilities.

Damp and mould problems can have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of your tenants. As a landlord you have a responsibility to make sure that your rented properties are free from damp and mould.

See our  document checklist for private landlords (20 KB)  for information on how to prevent and identify damp and mould.

See also understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home (GOV.UK)

Types of damp and what causes it

There is information on our website that you could pass onto your tenants about what causes damp and mould and how to prevent it see  damp and mould in your home .

Legal standards on damp and mould in rented homes

We have a duty to take enforcement action under the Housing Act 2004 if damp and mould is identified in a property. Action can also be taken under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 if the damp and mould is identified as a statutory nuisance.

If you are a property licence holder for either a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) or non-HMO property you must comply with the licence conditions. There are conditions that relate to dealing with issues of damp and mould.

Check your properties for damp and mould

To reduce the risk of damp and mould you should regularly check your properties for causes of it, such as condensation and lack of ventilation.

By acting quickly, you can reduce health risks to tenants and damage to your property.

You should keep records of the condition of the properties and the date they were last checked. If you get a report of damp and mould, check any neighbouring properties or properties with similar characteristics that you may also own. You can then put preventative measures in these properties and increase monitoring.

Identifying and addressing damp and mould

You can make a number of internal and external checks to identify the sources of damp and mould.

You shouldn't assume that:

• your tenants' lifestyles are the cause of damp and mould
• you'll be able to diagnose the problem yourself, seek guidance from an appropriately qualified professional to identify the cause.