Tackling Damp & Mould: Property Ombudsman Findings

A shocking three tenant gripes about dampness and mould in their private rented homes landed on the Property Ombudsman's desk every day last year.

The inquiries turned into 200 investigations, with landlords ordered to pay £36,000 in compensation.

The flood of complaints prompted the Property Ombudsman to quiz letting agents about the problem.

The result was that nearly all managed homes had damp and mould issues, and 42 per cent of agents had ongoing problems.

The research revealed letting agents who are not confident that they can recognise damp and mould are less likely to bring the problems to the attention of landlords.

Wrong to blame the tenant’s lifestyle

However, the survey of 719 letting agents confirmed that most understood the symptoms of dampness and mould. Still, many wrongly believed they were caused by tenant lifestyle, such as not using extractor fans during cooking and washing, drying laundry, and insufficient ventilation and heating.

Most agents also considered landlords should not rent out a home if unresolved construction issues were the cause of damp and mould.

The Property Ombudsman (TPO) Rebecca Marsh said: “Our research shows what a complex issue this is. Condensation, damp and mould are interlinked and caused by various factors: environmental, structural and behavioural, but one thing is clear, we need to work with renters, landlords and agents to prevent it occurring.”

Referring to government plans to introduce a decent homes standard for private homes with the Renters Rights Bill, Marsh said: “We welcome the government’s plans for further protections for tenants in the private sector as we’ve seen the devastating effects of properties not being adequately repaired or maintained.”

Awaab’s Law for private rentals

The Renters Rights Bill extends Awaab’s Law to privately rented homes (England). Awaab Izaak was a two-year-old living in rented social housing with damp and mould issues when he died.

The bill states landlords must keep their rental properties free from dangerous hazards by taking swift action if a complaint is received.

According to the latest annual report, the ombudsman dealt with 8,731 inquiries related to letting agents and private rented homes in 2023 - down 8 per cent from the year before.

Almost one in three inquiries were from tenants, while 2,619 were about repairs and maintenance.

The TPO publishes a free guide that helps deal with damp and mould in a home. The graphic explains tenants should regularly open windows to aid airflow and wipe away condensation and mould while turning on extractor fans when cooking or showering.

The ombudsman said: “If renters follow this advice and still experience problems, issues should be reported to the landlord and/or agent for investigation. Separate guidance for landlords and agents covering construction and property defect issues has also been produced.  If issues can’t be resolved, tenants and agents can contact their council’s private housing team.”