Have you ever moved a sofa and found black mould on the wall behind it? It's a horrible surprise. And it's one of the most common problems in rented homes across the UK.
Damp and mould also cause a lot of arguments between tenants and landlords. Who has to fix it? Who pays? And how fast does it need sorting?
This guide answers those questions. It covers the causes, who's responsible, and what actually needs to happen to fix the problem for good.
Why This Problem Matters So Much
Damp and mould aren't just ugly. They can make you ill. Mould spores can trigger asthma and other breathing problems. Children, older people, and anyone with a lung condition are most at risk.
In 2020, a two-year-old boy named Awaab Ishak died after prolonged exposure to mould in his family's rented flat. His family had reported the problem again and again. Nothing was done in time. His death led to a new law.
Since October 2025, Awaab's Law has been in force. It sets strict deadlines for social landlords in England. Severe mould now counts as an emergency hazard. Landlords must investigate it within 24 hours. If the home isn't safe, they must offer tenants somewhere else to stay.
This shows how seriously damp and mould are now being taken. They're not just a maintenance job. They're a health and safety issue.
The Three Types of Damp
Not all damp is the same. Knowing which type you have usually tells you who's responsible for fixing it. Correct identification is always the first step, since treating the wrong type of damp wastes time and money.
Condensation is the most common type in rented homes. It happens when warm, moist air hits a cold surface, like a window or a wall. The air cools down fast and turns to water. Cooking, showering, and drying clothes indoors all add moisture to the air. Over time, condensation creates the perfect home for black mould. Bathrooms, kitchens, and bedroom corners are the usual spots.
Rising damp happens when moisture from the ground moves up through a wall. This usually means the damp-proof course has failed, or was never fitted. Look for a "tide mark" low down on the wall. It rarely rises more than a metre.
Penetrating damp comes from outside. A cracked wall, broken gutter, missing roof tile, or bad window seal can all let water in. Unlike rising damp, it can appear at any height. It often gets worse after heavy rain.
Getting the diagnosis right matters. Painting over mould or running a dehumidifier might hide condensation for a while. But it won't fix rising or penetrating damp. Treating the wrong problem is one of the most costly mistakes we see.
Getting the diagnosis right matters. Painting over mould or running a dehumidifier might hide condensation for a while. But it won't fix rising or penetrating damp. Treating the wrong problem is one of the most costly mistakes we see.
Who Is Responsible: Landlord or Tenant?
Everyone wants a simple answer. The honest one is: it depends on the cause.
Landlords are usually responsible for the building itself. Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords must keep the structure and exterior in good repair. So rising damp from a failed damp-proof course is their job. So is penetrating damp from a leaking roof or broken guttering.
Tenants are usually responsible for everyday prevention. This means using extractor fans, opening windows, wiping away condensation, and not drying too much laundry indoors without ventilation. If mould is genuinely caused by how the home is used, and not by a fault in the building, more of the responsibility falls on the tenant.
In real life, it's rarely this simple. A tenant might do everything right and still get condensation, because the property has no extractor fan or the windows won't open properly. That's a building problem, not a tenant problem. This is why guesswork causes so many disputes. A proper inspection beats anyone's opinion about who's at fault.
What Tenants Should Do
- Report it in writing. Send an email or text, not just a phone call, so there's a record.
- Be specific. Say where the damp is, how big it is, and what it's affecting.
- Keep evidence. Take dated photos. Save every message and reply.
- Let your landlord in. They need to see the problem to fix it. Agree a convenient time for an inspection.
- Escalate if needed. If nothing happens, or your health is at risk, contact your council's environmental health team. They can inspect the property and force action.
What Landlords Should Do
Landlords can no longer assume damp is just down to "tenant lifestyle." Government guidance is clear: investigate first.
When a tenant reports a problem, landlords should:
- Take it seriously and act quickly, especially if health is at risk
- Find the real cause, not just treat the symptom
- Book a professional damp survey if the cause isn't obvious
- Carry out proper repairs and treatment, not a quick patch
- Check back around six weeks later to make sure it hasn't returned
That last step gets skipped too often. A mould wash and a coat of paint can look like a fix. Then three months later, it's back, because the real cause was never dealt with.
Why a Proper Survey Beats Guesswork
Damp and mould are symptoms, not the problem itself. Treating the black staining without knowing if it's condensation, rising damp, or penetrating damp is like taking a painkiller without asking why your head hurts.
A proper damp and mould survey looks at the whole building. It checks how the property was built, how moisture moves through it, and where ventilation is missing. It also checks whether past repairs have made things worse. Cement renders on older solid-wall homes, or blocked airbricks, can trap moisture instead of letting it escape. This matters even more in older or listed buildings, which were built to "breathe" in ways modern materials don't always allow.
Getting the diagnosis right the first time saves money and stress for everyone. It also protects landlords from a costly cycle: pay for treatment, watch the mould return, and face an even more frustrated tenant.
How Triora Damp & Mould Can Help
At Triora, we work with landlords, letting agents, and tenants across Staffordshire, Cheshire, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Manchester, Liverpool, and Shropshire. We find the real cause of damp and mould, instead of offering a generic fix and hoping it works.
We use a building pathology approach. That means we study how your specific property behaves, not just what a moisture meter says on the day.
Are you a landlord who wants the problem solved properly, without it coming back? Or a tenant who can't get anyone to listen? Either way, we offer a free consultation to talk through what you're seeing and what to do next.
Quick Answers
Can a landlord evict a tenant for reporting mould?
No. Evicting a tenant for reporting a repair issue is called a "revenge eviction." It's against the law, and tenants have protection from it.
Can I stop paying rent because of damp?
It's risky. Withholding rent can put you in breach of your own tenancy agreement, even if your landlord isn't responding. Reporting the issue formally, then escalating to environmental health, is a safer route.
How long does a landlord have to fix damp and mould?
There's no single fixed deadline outside of Awaab's Law, which applies to social housing. But landlords must act within a "reasonable" time, and urgently if health is at risk. Under Awaab's Law, social landlords must investigate emergency mould hazards within 24 hours.
Is damp always the landlord's fault?
No. If damp is genuinely caused by how a tenant uses the property, and there's no underlying fault in the building, responsibility can sit with the tenant. That's exactly why getting an accurate diagnosis matters so much.
If damp or mould keeps coming back in a property you own or rent, get in touch with Triora Damp & Mould for a free consultation. We'll help you understand exactly what's causing it, and make sure it stays gone.