Report damp or mould
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Find out how to report damp or mould.
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Find out how to complain to your housing association.
Home owners/occupiers
Learn about making improvements to your home.
What is mould, damp and condensation?
What is mould?
Mould is a part of the fungi family, including yeast and mushrooms. Individually it is tiny, and grows in clusters in moist, damp areas where there is a lack of air. There are so many types of mould that scientists don’t know the exact figure, but they believe there are over 100,000 different varieties.
How long does it take for mould to grow?
In ideal conditions, such as poor ventilation and damp areas, it can take 1 to 2 days.
Who is affected?
Everyone can be affected by mould, but certain people are more susceptible, such as:
- the young (including babies and children)
- older people
- those who have asthma or other breathing problems, (bronchitis/emphysema etc)
- those with allergies or skin problems
- those who have a weakened immune system
What is the difference between damp and condensation?
Damp
Damp comes in three most common types:
- penetrating
- rising
- condensation
What is penetrating damp?
Penetrating damp is when water gets into your home through the brickwork. This kind of damp can appear anywhere in your walls and usually happens when:
- there is a leak in the pipes
- there is damage to the guttering or facias
- the brickwork is old or damaged
This kind of damp can be reasonably easily treated by fixing the fault.
What is rising damp?
Rising damp is where water seeps up through the walls from below. The signs of this are on the lower parts of the wall such as the skiting boards going soft or the peeling of wallpaper and paint, as the water is coming up from the ground. This usually happens because of poor damp proofing that is built into walls to stop this.
Fixing this kind of damp involves replacing the damp-proof course where there is the problem. Once this is fixed, we can then move on to repairing the damage to the walls and skirting.
Condensation
Condensation is the little droplets of water that you see on your windows on a cold morning, or the mist on mirrors or cold surfaces such as the tiles or walls when you have a bath or shower.
Condensation doesn’t just happen on windows or in the bathroom though – it can form on any cold surface in your home, such as near windows, in corners, and behind wardrobes and cupboards for example. You can usually tell if your damp is condensation as it does not leave a tidemark around the edges of the damp patch. If there is a ‘tidemark’ this dampness might have another cause, such as water leaking into your home from a plumbing fault, loose roof tiles or rising damp.
Fixing condensation in your home depends on many things, and one of our team will look into this with you.
Government guidance
Read in-depth guidance on damp, mould and the responsibilities of landlords.