The Property Ombudsman has issued fresh guidelines to better protect private renters on an issue which it said hits a tenth of households in the UK.
In the ombudsman’s report, “nearly all” of the 719 letting agents involved had damp or mould problems in the properties they represent, while almost half (42%) of all properties had an ongoing issue involving the widespread problem.
Guidelines have also been published for renters, with the aim of addressing the problem of dampness and mould as soon as possible. This means before a complaint can be made, certain preventative actions must have been followed.
These include wiping down windows where condensation has happened in the morning, drying clothes outside where possible (or in the bathroom if not) using an extractor fan when cooking, boiling a kettle or taking a shower.
Only when the eight points included in the report are followed with no success, will the landlord have to resolve the issue.
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Once the landlord hears of a damp or mould issue, they must treat the matter “seriously and actioned as a matter of urgency” the Property Ombudsman said.
Landlords must then hire specialists to identify the root cause of the problem and prevent the chance of it reoccurring.
This involves landlords proactively contacting their tenants to ensure the property is well-ventilated and all the appropriate measures are in place.
One of the common thoughts that arose from the dispute resolution service’s report was landlords believing damp and mould was part of a “lifestyle choice” which could have been prevented.
‘Living with damp and mould can be extremely distressing’
To address this, the ombudsman emphasised how communicating with the tenant “is crucial… as living with damp and mould can be extremely distressing”.
Further practices landlords need to follow in the future include providing those living on their property with dehumidifiers and cleaning products where necessary.
If you encounter an issue of damp or mould with your landlord and are a private renter you can report the issue to your local council. The authorities can then employ an environmental health team to assess the problem and contact the landlord on your behalf.
Should the problem persist, as it stands, private renters can seek compensation from the landlord through the courts.
You can complain to the Property Ombudsman if the letting agent is a member of the scheme and has not responded or resolved your complaint to your satisfaction.
However, after two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in social housing due to the effects of dampness and mould in his home, stricter timeframes were introduced to force social housing landlords to fix the issue should it happen.
Awaab’s Law was enforced on social housing landlords in 2023 but has not yet been implemented in the private sector.
But, while the Government announced the extension of the law into the private sector in its Renters’ Rights Bill, there has been no confirmed date for when this will happen.
‘We need to work with renters, landlords and agents’
The Property Ombudsman, Rebecca Marsh, said: “Our research shows what a complex issue this is. Condensation, damp and mould are interlinked and caused by a variety of factors: environmental, structural and behavioural but one thing is clear, we need to work with renters, landlords and agents to prevent it occurring.
“We’ve published some simple guides which we’ve shared with businesses, landlords and tenants to ensure greater awareness of the causes and symptoms, how to report it and the risks in living in damp and mouldy conditions.
“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.”
