We take reports of damp and mould seriously. If you notice damp or mould in your council home, report it as soon as possible so we can investigate the cause and arrange the right treatment.
Why you should report damp and mould
Damp creates the conditions that allow mould to grow. Mould grows and spreads by releasing tiny seeds, known as spores, into the air. Breathing in these spores can cause health issues, especially if you are young, older, or have allergies or respiratory conditions.
Damp and mould can also damage your home by affecting plaster and timber.
How to report a problem
Speak to customer services to report damp or mould in your council home.
When you contact us, we will ask:
- which rooms are affected
- whether mould is present on more than one wall or covers more than 25% of a wall
- whether anyone in the household is:
- under the age of 11
- over the age of 65
- living with respiratory conditions
- experiencing health issues they attribute to the presence of mould
This helps us understand how serious the problem is and decide how quickly we need to respond.
What happens next
We will assess your report and decide what action is needed.
Depending on the problem, we will:
- arrange a survey to identify the type of damp and determine what type of treatment is needed
- carry out treatment during the visit, or schedule the treatment for a later date if we need time to review the survey results
- give advice on how to prevent damp and mould from returning
In some cases, we may carry out a mould treatment before we investigate the underlying cause. This is a temporary safety measure to reduce health risks while we investigate. It is not designed to solve the mould problem in your home. The treatment helps keep the mould under control until we can identify and fix the cause.
If we believe the problem is caused by condensation, we will look at ways to improve ventilation or heating in your home. This could include installing background ventilators, larger radiators or extractor fans.
After treatment, housing or ODS staff visiting your home will check whether you are still experiencing any problems with damp or mould.
Read the Council Housing Damp and Mould Policy to learn more.
Timescales
- Emergency cases - we will carry out a mould treatment within 24 hours
- Moderate cases - we will carry out a mould treatment within 5 working days
- Minor cases - we may arrange a survey first but any necessary treatment will be carried out within 3 weeks
If the problem continues
If you still have damp and mould after 4 weeks, contact us again. We may:
- arrange another mould treatment
- install monitoring equipment to investigate the problem further
Support with heating and energy costs
If you're struggling to keep your home warm and dry, you may be able to get help with heating costs and other essential household expenses. See our cost of living support pages for information about the support available.
