Preventing damp and mould

Condensation is when moisture or water in the air collects on a cooler surface. Most people have a little bit of condensation, like the droplets you see on your windows after a shower. While it’s usually nothing to worry about, condensation can lead to damp and mould if left for too long.

Mould looks like little black dots in the corners of the windows or anywhere water collects. Mould can be bad for your health, so it's important you take action if you spot signs of mould in your home.

Damp looks like a wet patch on a wall or ceiling and appears when condensation is left for a long time. Left untreated, damp can cause structural problems over a long period of time.

There are lots of reasons why damp and mould can happen in homes. These can range from there being too much moisture in the air to plumbing and ventilation faults, or more deep-seated problems with a building.

You should always report damp and mould in your home as soon as possible.

Damp and mould can be caused by lots of things. However, there are some simple steps that you can take to help avoid this problem appearing in your home.

Remove moisture in your home when you can

A common cause of mould is condensation or moisture on surfaces in your home. This is most common in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. To avoid this, wipe condensation or water droplets from walls, tiles, shower screens and windows. If you discover a leak or damp patch in your home, please report this to us as soon as possible.

Keep your home properly ventilated

Try and open your windows regularly to let out moist air and let fresh air in and use any extractor fans you may have. To stop moisture from spreading when you are cooking or bathing, keep the doors to the bathroom and kitchen closed.

Stop rooms from getting too cold

Very cold rooms can provide ideal conditions for mould to grow, so it’s recommended you don’t let the temperature in your home fall below 14 °C (the ideal temperature for your living room is 20°C, for the bathroom it’s 23°C and for the bedroom and kitchen it’s 16°C).

Try not to dry clothes on radiators

Drying clothes on radiators increases the moisture that they release and can create damp stops in your home. Instead, try and hang them on a clothes airer - place this in a well-ventilated room with any doors to the rest of your home closed.

Avoid placing furniture close to walls

Mould can grow in spaces where air can’t circulate, so avoid leaning large items of furniture or storing lots of items against walls, with no space for air to move.

We encourage our tenants to let us know of any issues with condensation/damp/mould as soon as possible and, these are given a high priority.

• If we can identify the root cause (for example, a leak) easily over the phone, we’ll arrange a repair
• Wherever possible, we will inspect within five working days (subject to access) to identify the possible causes and associated remedial works
• If further work is required, the timeframe and duration of the repair will depend on the severity of the issue and agreed with the customer
• Remedial works will be completed within seven working days of an order being placed.
• We will also discuss the matter with our tenants, providing advice and guidance as appropriate
• Completed works will be post-inspected by our Property Services Officers