Damp and mould
It's truly important to us that all our customers have a safe and healthy home to live in, and that our customers are listened to should they raise a concern.
What counts as an emergency?
Severe cases of damp and mould, like extensive black mould on walls or ceilings in bedrooms or living areas, are treated as emergencies.
Damp and mould - what to expect
We’re committed to tackling damp, mould, and condensation in our homes. If you notice any signs in your property, please let us know as soon as possible so we can take action.
How to report damp and mould
If you spot damp or mould in your home, contact us straight away. We’ll help fix the issue and prevent it from coming back.
What happens next
Once you’ve reported the issue, here’s what you can expect:
- We’ll contact you to arrange an inspection
- Our team will identify the root cause and book in any necessary improvement works
- Repairs will be carried out by our team
- You’ll be supported with a proactive programme to help prevent future issues
- If we can’t access your home for a scheduled appointment, we’ll rebook it and send a follow-up letter. If access continues to be an issue, we’ll escalate it internally to find a solution
What is Awaab's Law?
Awaab’s Law is part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. It gives you stronger rights and sets strict deadlines for landlords to fix serious hazards, including damp and mould.
Here’s what happens if you report a hazard in your home:
- Emergency hazards will be made safe within 24 hours.
- Significant hazards will be:
- Investigated within 10 working days
- Findings shared with you within 3 working days
- Urgent repairs started within 5 working days
- Further work completed as soon as possible and no later than 12 weeks
If we can’t make your home safe within these timeframes, we’ll provide temporary accommodation at no cost to you.
Future phases of Awaab’s Law, starting in 2026, will cover more hazards like excess cold or heat, fire risks, and structural faults.
Our commitment to you
We created our dedicated service to make sure we're taking a proactive approach to resolving any cases of damp, mould, and disrepair in our properties. We strongly urge any customer who has damp and mould in their home to get in touch with us as soon as possible, so we can deal with the issue swiftly.
What you can expect from us
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We’ll attend and remove Category 1 hazards within 24 hours.
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We'll inspect all cases of damp and mould within 5 working days.
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Where urgent repairs are required, we’ll carry them out within 10 working days.
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Where appointable repairs are required, we'll carry them out within 45 working days.
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We will respond to emails within 3 working days.
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All surveyors undertake a calcium carbide test, which checks moisture in your property, if and where required before seeking external support (unless an independent survey is needed or it’s a complex case.)
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The team will look at the root cause of the damp and mould when doing inspections and improvement works.
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All “no access” appointments (where we can’t get into properties) are fed back to the Customer Resolution Centre team and re-scheduled with the customer, supporting letters for action are also sent to the customer. If we still can’t get it, this is escalated internally to see how we can resolve.
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A pro-active programme to help us stay on top of all improvements, installations and preventative measures to combat damp, mould and condensation.
How to spot damp and mould in your home?
Damp and mould can be a serious problem in homes, which can cause health issues and property damage.
There are two main types: penetrating damp and rising damp. Below we’ve shared the different types of damp and mould, what you need to look out for and how to report issues if you spot them in your home.
This happens when water seeps in from the outside. Look out for:
- Yellow or brown stains on walls and ceilings
- Peeling, cracking, or bubbling plaster
- A musty and damp smell, especially after rain
- Black mould on your walls and ceilings
This happens when water rises from the ground through the brickwork. It usually only affects the ground floor. Look out for:
- Damp stains on walls up to 1 meter high
- White coating on your walls
- Damaged wallpaper or paint that may be peeling or flaking
- Rotting skirting boards or floorboards
- Black mould on walls, often at a medium to high level
This happens when warm, moist air meets a cold surface. Look out for:
- Steaming windows
- Water droplets on your walls, fixtures, or furniture
- Dampness on your cold surfaces
- Wallpaper peeling near skirting boards
- Mould on your external walls, tiles, ceilings, or around your windows
Report issues of damp and mould to us
If you notice any of these signs of damp and mould in your home, contact us as soon as possible. We can help fix the problem and stop it coming back. You can report issues by calling us on 0330 355 1000.
A member of our team will be in touch to arrange a visit to your home. At your visit they will identify the root cause of the damp and mould and then book in improvement works to address the issue.
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Keep your home at a consistent temperature and avoid extreme hot or cold temperatures in your home to help reduce moisture. 18°C is the ideal temperature.
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Try to ventilate your home as much as you can. Look to opening your windows where possible and turn on your extractor fan when cooking to help with prevention.
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In winter, we can’t avoid drying our washing inside, so to prevent damp and mould, we advise drying it in a room with an extractor fan or dehumidifier.
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If you’ve got a tumble dryer, it needs venting to the outside, unless it’s a condenser dryer. Get in touch with us to arrange this.
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It’s helpful to wipe away any signs of condensation build-up on windows or surfaces to prevent mould developing.
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A dehumidifier can help to extract moisture from the air and prevent damp forming.
Keeping your home warm
Making sure your home is warm enough and maintaining a consistent room temperature can help reduce the risk of condensation, damp and mould.
We know some of you might be worried about energy costs when heating your home. If you’re worried about heating your home, don’t worry there is action you can take.
Change your energy supplier
You can speak to your energy supplier and they might be able to switch you to a cheaper tariff. You might be able to find a better energy deal from other suppliers on websites such as Uswitch.com, MoneySupermarket, or Compare the Market.
Check if you're eligible for support
You can also check whether you’re eligible for government help during the winter months, such as the £150 one-off payment from the Warm Home Discount Scheme or the Winter Fuel Payment.
Speak to our team – they're here to help
If you’re worried about affording your heating this winter and are looking for some advice, our Financial Inclusion team can support you. The team can support with a range of queries such as benefits applications, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims, and can offer budgeting advice to help you manage your finances.
You can contact the team by calling us on 0330 355 1000 and asking to speak to our Financial Inclusion team or fill out or Contact Us form.