Damp and mould
On this page
About damp and mould
Damp and moisture in the home can cause wet patches, staining and peeling walls.
This can lead to mould forming, which often looks like black, white, or green patches.
The cause of damp can be through several factors such as a leak or condensation and if left untreated can be detrimental to health and wellbeing.
Damp and mould is an issue that continually arises in our case work.
Damp and moisture in a home creates wet patches, stains, and peeling walls. These conditions allow mould to grow. Mould often appears as black, white, or green spots.
If landlords ignore damp and mould, it harms residents’ health and wellbeing. It can also have a significant effect on residents' ability to enjoy their home.
Residents and landlords can use this learning resource to further understand damp and mould in the home.
Awaab’s Law
Awaab's Law came into force in October 2025. It requires social landlords to fix reported damp, mould, and emergency repairs within strict timeframes.
The law now focuses on damp and mould. It will cover further housing hazards from 2026.
Guidance
Landlord expectations
Use this guide to understand what’s expected when handling reports of damp and mould. It gives clear steps to manage cases effectively and meet the standards set out in the Complaint Handling Code.
Resident support guide
Use this guide to make the complaints process easier and clearer.
It will help you understand your rights, know what steps to take, and get practical advice on damp and mould.
Guidance on complaints involving hazards
Our guidance shows how we'll investigate complaints involving hazards, including Awaab's Law.
Pre-action protocol for housing condition claims and service complaints
This guidance relates to claims by tenants and others in respect of poor housing conditions.
Reports
Spotlight report on damp and mould
Explore our most in-depth report on damp and mould. The Spotlight report on damp and mould shares recommendations for landlords and sector-wide learning.
There are 4 chapters in the report that look at:
- reactive to proactive
- inferring blame to taking responsibility
- disrepair claims to resolution
- complaints to a learning culture
Follow up: Damp and mould report
After the inquest into Awaab Ishak’s death, many landlords started rethinking how they deal with damp and mould.
This report gives practical insights and recommendations to help landlords take action and prevent harm.
Read it to learn what works, what does not, and how to protect residents’ health.
Learning from severe maladministration
Explore a collection of reports that reveal the most serious failings we see in landlord services. These reports highlight recurring issues in damp and mould such as leaks.
Use this collection to learn from real cases, understand what went wrong, and apply practical lessons to improve your own services. Browse the full set of reports to find the topics most relevant to you.
Landlord Learning Hub
Your free training platform from the Centre for Learning
The Learning Hub gives you easy access to expert training designed for member landlords.
Create your account today and start using a wide range of resources to strengthen your complaint handling and meet the Code’s requirements.
Podcasts
Damp and mould playlist
Explore our damp and mould podcast playlist for practical tips and real experiences.
Learn from experts and casework specialists to improve services and prevent complaints.
Case studies
These case studies come from real cases we’ve handled. You can explore all published decisions via our online decision library, which we share to stay open and transparent.
Severe maladministration
This case shows severe maladministration. The landlord delayed repairs to a roof leak that caused damp and mould, even after a contractor warned the home posed serious health risks. The landlord kept poor records, missed complaint deadlines, and failed to update the resident.
What happened:
- the resident reported a roof leak causing damp and mould
- the landlord took nearly 16 months to fix the issue, despite several attempts
- a contractor told the landlord the home was unfit to live in for ten months
- the landlord failed to keep proper evidence or records for the case
- it failed to acknowledge the complaint at first and later responded outside required timescales
- it did not keep the resident updated throughout
- after this case, the landlord reviewed 5,000 damp and mould cases to learn lessons and improve services
No maladministration
This case shows no maladministration. The landlord acted quickly when the resident reported damp and mould. It also replied quickly to concerns about health impacts and kept the resident informed throughout. Repairs, replacements, and follow‑up inspections took place without unnecessary delays.
What happened:
- the resident reported damp and mould
- the landlord arranged quick repairs and inspections
- when the resident raised health concerns, the landlord treated the repairs as urgent
- the landlord kept the resident updated throughout the process
- it managed expectations around the timing of specific replacements
- it carried out post‑repair inspections in good time
- there were minimal delays at any stage
Resident information
Resident support guides
Use this collection of support guide to make the complaints process easier and clearer.
They will help you understand your rights, know what steps to take, and get practical advice on all aspects of complaints.
These resources will give you the confidence to raise issues and get them resolved.
When to get help from us
Not sure when to contact the Housing Ombudsman?
This page explains the right time to get help. It shows what steps you need to take first, what we can and cannot look at, and how we can support you if your landlord has not resolved your complaint.
Use it to understand your options and make sure your complaint reaches the right place.