Many households suffer from health-damaging damp and mould in their homes, which during winter often become worse, and at times unliveable. Research from Shelter shows the health of one in five renters (22%) in England – or 1.9 million households – is being harmed by poor housing, with damp and mould affecting 26% of all renters. But what can be done about it?
Mould is caused by damp conditions. The first step is to work out where the problem is coming from. Find out more about the different types of mould, and what you can do about it here.
Landlords and tenants have different responsibilities. Tenants have a duty to ensure their home is well-ventilated and have a general temperature of at least 15 degrees. Landlords need to take action if the damp or mould is caused by a repair problem or affecting your health and safety.
Need to report damp and mould to your landlord? Make sure you follow up any initial phone calls to your landlord with a letter or email. Shelter’s website has information on how to report repairs and also a template letter that tenants can use.
At the end of the day, your landlord must make sure your home is fit to live in from the start of your tenancy until you leave.
For more information on how to deal with housing issues and your rights follow the link:
