Damp and Mould

Damp and mould are hazards that can be found in homes and both tenants and homeowners can experience problems with them.

There is a difference between structural damp, and mould which is caused by condensation. The differences are outlined below:

• Penetrating damp
  Penetrating damp is the result of water infiltration through the external wall into the property. It is often caused by roof, gutter or pipe leaks. You will see damp patches appearing on walls or ceilings and wet, sometimes crumbly plaster.

• Rising damp
  This mainly affects ground floor rooms and is caused by ground water soaking up into the walls and floors. This is usually because a damp proof course or damp-proof membrane is not working or because there is no damp proofing. You will usually see a tide mark along the affected walls at about 1 metre high with plaster damage below.

• Condensation
  Condensation occurs when warm, moist air cools quickly and droplets of water are released when the air contacts a cool surface. Mould will grow wherever there is moisture so the presence of black mould usually means there’s condensation. Several factors can contribute to condensation and resulting mould, but common causes are inadequate insulation, heating or ventilation.

If you are a tenant and believe that you are experiencing problems with damp and mould then you should contact your landlord, in writing, to inform them of the problem and give them 14 days to provide you with a response.

If you do not receive a satisfactory response, please contact the Private Sector Housing department at psh@southandvale.gov.uk providing us with your details including your name, address, telephone number, details of the problem and landlord contact details. Please provide us with any photographs that you have of the issue.

When you decide to contact us about your damp and mould issue, we have a questionnaire that you can fill out and send to us. It helps us to understand your situation in more detail. You can find the questionnaire here.