Damp and mould

If you spot any damp or mould in your home, please call us straight away!

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Damp and mould

We take all reports of damp and mould seriously and encourage our residents to report any concerns to us as soon as possible.

Our priority and responsibility as a landlord is to provide you with a safe and healthy home. This includes a home that is free from damp, mould and excessive condensation.

All homes are at risk of condensation, particularly through the winter months. If you have excess condensation in your home, this can lead to problems such as mould growth, which can affect your health and the health of your home. Small amounts of condensation are not usually a problem, and there are some everyday things we can all do to help prevent it.

We will also consider the root cause of damp and mould, and will consider all options to improve the performance of the building, recognising that some homes were not built for modern ways of living.

Identifying damp and mould

It’s important to understand the different types of damp and mould and what causes it, as this will help when you contact us.

We have created a guide to help you recognise what could be causing the issues you are experiencing:

Rising Damp

This is damp that rises from the ground and into the walls of your home, drawn up by a process called capillary action. It happens in homes with no damp proof course (DPC) or where the DPC has been damaged.

Rising damp is unlikely to cause black mould, because the salts in the water inhibit its growth.

Penetrating Damp

This is caused by damp getting through the walls, via missing pointing, roof leaks or other building defects. This can happen anywhere in your home but will be located close to where the defect is.

It will be more noticeable directly after rain and will leave a noticeable damp patch on your walls or ceilings.

Like rising damp, penetrating damp is unlikely to cause black mould, because the salts in the brickwork limit its growth.

Defective plumbing and leaks

Damp can also be caused by leaking or defective plumbing, commonly occurring in bathrooms and kitchens.

Black mould is less likely to occur with defective plumbing due to the chemicals found in soaps and cleaning products inhibiting its growth.

Condensation

Condensation happens when the air gets colder and it cannot hold all the moisture. Tiny drops of water appear and if this happens on a regular basis it can cause condensation in your home, leaving black or green mould growth on walls and furniture. It is important to provide sufficient ventilation to allow moisture generated by daily living to escape.

Of all the causes of damp and mould, condensation is the most likely to cause black mould, due to the lack of chemicals in the water, which in other cases, inhibit its growth.

Download a PDF copy of our damp and mould guide:

Keep your home free from damp and mould

How to keep your home free from damp and mould

Reporting damp and mould

We will respond to residents’ reports of damp and mould with empathy and respect, without making assumptions about individuals or outcomes.

It is important to report any instances of damp and mould to us as soon as possible.

Call us on 0300 303 8540

We will ask you key questions about what you have been experiencing in relation to damp and mould in your home
What happens next is determined by the level of potential risk to the residents.
We will offer a damp and mould survey to investigate further, consider carrying out safety works (e.g. a mould wash)
Following the results of your damp and mould survey, we may carry out further preventative works.

Preventative work will be prioritised in accordance with Awaab’s Law.

Awaab's Law

From 27 October 2025, Awaab’s Law introduced strict legal timeframes for social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould hazards that pose a risk to health.

This law was created following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak, and it aims to ensure no tenant lives in unsafe conditions.

Find out more

Awaab's Law Timescales

Table 4: Awaab’s Law Timescales
Hazard	Investigation (Survey)	Safety Work (Mould Wash)	Written Summary	Supplementary Preventative work (Repairs)
Significant	10 working days of potential hazard being reported	Complete within 5 working days of the investigation concluding	3 working days to issue a written summary to resident after investigation completed	Begin, or take steps to begin works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Work must be physically started within 12 weeks
Emergency	24 hours from the potential hazard being reported	Complete within 24 hours of the investigation concluding	3 working days to issue a written summary to resident after investigation completed	Begin, or take steps to begin works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Work must be physically started within 12 weeks

Table 4: Awaab’s Law Timescales

Hazard

Investigation

(Survey)

Safety Work

(Mould Wash)

Written Summary

Supplementary Preventative work

(Repairs)

Significant

10 working days of potential hazard being reported

Complete within 5 working days of the investigation concluding

3 working days to issue a written summary to resident after investigation completed

Begin, or take steps to begin works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Work must be physically started within 12 weeks

Emergency

24 hours from the potential hazard being reported

Complete within 24 hours of the investigation concluding

3 working days to issue a written summary to resident after investigation completed

Begin, or take steps to begin works within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Work must be physically started within 12 weeks

Read our Damp and Mould Policy

Healthy home top tips

We have worked with Energy Saving Trust to create a Healthy Home short video and Handbook to help you manage damp, mould and condensation and maintain a healthy home.

Watch our Healthy home top tips video

If you spot any damp or mould in your home – or following these tips does not reduce excess condensation – let us know straight away on 0300 303 8540 and we’ll arrange to inspect so we can let you know the next steps.

Call us on 0300 303 8540

Download a PDF copy of our Healthy Home Handbook:

Healthy Home Handbook:

Created with Energy Saving Trust

Top healthy home tips to avoid damp, mould and condensation

Try and reduce the amount of moisture you produce

Don’t boil kettles or pans longer than you need to.
Make sure you put lids on saucepans when cooking.
Open windows or use extractor fan (if fitted) when cooking.
Wipe away condensation from windows and other surfaces.
Avoid drying clothes on radiators and try to dry clothes outside or in your bathroom with the door closed and window open or extractor fan on.
Close bathroom doors when bathing.

We understand with the rising cost of energy bills you might be worried about putting your heating on.

If you’re struggling with this, please give us a call on 0300 303 8540, and we’ll put you in touch with our friendly Income Team who’ll be happy to help you with advice and support.

Damp and mould can sometimes be due to an issue with your home. If you have tried our tips but it’s not making a difference, please let us know. It could be that we need to carry out some repairs or maintenance.

If you are concerned about damp and mould, please get in touch with us by calling or emailing us.

Contact us Call us on 0300 303 8540

When contacting us, it’s important that you give as much information as possible.

This detail should include:

The areas of your home that are affected
How long these areas have been affected
Any leaks or other plumbing issues that are causing the problems
If the affected surfaces are wet to the touch
If there is any visible discolouring, including black mould
Any smells in or near the affected areas
Any peeling of wallpaper and paint in or near the affected areas

We’d also like you to provide clear photographs that show the problem areas.

These photos should include:

Clear, close-up detail of the affected areas
A wider view of the affected area within the room
Any further photos that show important detail.

Everyone deserves a safe and secure home. If you live in social housing and you have an issue with your home or your landlord, there are ways to make things right.

For instances of damp and mould there is also information on the Make it Right website on how to follow the 3-step process to resolve any instances quickly.

Frequently asked questions

There is damp and mould in my home. What should I do and how can SLH help?

A. If you notice any signs of damp or mould in your home, contact us by sending us an email or calling us on 0300 303 8540. We will arrange for a damp inspection of your home and clean down any affected areas. We’ll also look at what we can do to stop the damp and mould from coming back.

Finding the cause of damp and mould can sometimes be hard, but here are a few different things we can look at:

Specialist treatment work to treat any problem areas
Increasing the ventilation in your home using extra extractor fans which will help moisture to escape
Installing mechanical ventilation systems which will help remove any moisture automatically
Arrange for your homes’ damp proof course (DPC) to be checked. And if it needs repairing or replacing, we will get it fixed.
Fit a device to help work out where the damp’s coming from so we can work out how best to deal with it.

What are the main causes of condensation?

A.

Not enough ventilation
Producing too much moisture
Temperature in your home being too low
Drying clothes on radiators

Too much condensation can make your home feel damp and can give mould the right conditions to grow. Condensation is a greater problem during winter when the weather gets colder. This is because we tend to keep windows and doors closed to keep the heat inside, so the moisture cannot escape. This means that once the warm air hits any colder surfaces, the moisture it contains will condense.

Here are a few tips to stop condensation from damaging your home:

Make sure your home is heated- Keeping your home warm, so the temperature is between 18C and 21C, will help to prevent condensation. We understand with the rising cost of energy bills you might be worried about putting your heating on. If you’re struggling with this, please give us a call on 0300 303 8540, and we’ll put you in touch with our friendly Income Team who’ll be happy to help you with advice and support.

Dry your clothes outside if possible- Drying your clothes outside is one of the best ways to stop mould problems and condensation in your home. We understand that sometimes this isn’t possible so if you’re drying clothes inside make sure you open the windows and use extractor fans if you have them.

Ventilate your home- This will help reduce condensation by making the moist air escape outside.

Open bedroom windows for 5-10 minutes when you get up.
Keep a window open or turn your extractor fan on when you are cooking, in the bath or shower.
Make sure ventilation grills in doors, windows or walls are not closed.

What steps can I take against mould in my home?

A. If your home has condensation, it is possible that mould can grow, often as black spots on your walls, ceilings, furnishings and even on clothes and toys.

To kill and remove the mould, regularly follow these steps:

Carefully remove excess mould with a damp cloth and throw away after. Do not brush mould as this releases spores into the air.
Use rubber gloves to wipe down affected areas using a fungicidal wash or diluted bleach. Wearing safety glasses is recommended.
Once the mould has been removed, redecorate using a good quality fungicidal / anti-mould paint.
Dry clean mildewed clothes and shampoo carpets.

What should I do if I notice watermarks in my home?

A. If you spot watermarks on your wall or ceiling, contact us by sending us an email or calling us on 0300 303 8540

Water or damp patches on walls or ceilings could be caused by:

A leak in your roof
Water coming in through the wall from outside
A faulty damp proof course

One of our surveyors will need to visit your home to find out what is causing the watermarks so we can get things repaired to avoid further damage and mould growth.