In England, your landlord is responsible for dealing with damp and mould caused by the building. If you rent social housing, there are now fixed deadlines.
In England, your landlord is responsible for dealing with damp and mould caused by the building, whether you rent from a council, a housing association or a private landlord. The government's guidance for landlords is clear that damp and mould should be dealt with promptly and that tenants should not be blamed for it as a matter of course.
If you rent social housing, Awaab's Law has set fixed deadlines since 27 October 2025. If you rent privately, Awaab's Law does not apply yet, but your landlord must keep the home fit to live in and in repair. This page covers England; the rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are different.
Awaab's Law came into force for the social rented sector on 27 October 2025. It applies to most tenancies let by councils and housing associations. Under it, for damp and mould that poses a significant risk:
If your landlord does not meet these, you can use their complaints process and then go to the Housing Ombudsman.
Source: Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords, GOV.UK.
Awaab's Law does not yet apply to private landlords. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows the government to extend it to private tenancies, and on 9 October 2026 the government opened a consultation on how to do that, which closes on 18 December 2026. There is no start date yet.
Private landlords already have legal duties that cover damp and mould:
Source: Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies, GOV.UK consultation.
Tenants are often told that damp and mould are down to how they live. The government's guidance for landlords says it is totally unreasonable to blame damp and mould on “lifestyle choices”, and that the fundamental cause will be building deficiencies, inadequate ventilation, inadequate heating or poor energy efficiency, not tenants' normal everyday activities.
Everyday things like cooking, showering and drying washing do add moisture, and sensible ventilation helps. But a home should be able to cope with normal living without growing mould.
Source: Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, GOV.UK, published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the UK Health Security Agency. We are surveyors, not doctors: if you are worried about your health, speak to your GP or call NHS 111.
Tenants and landlords both instruct us. The report is a dated, independent record of what was found, what is causing it and what will fix it, with thermal images and readings. We do not carry out repairs or sell treatments, so there is nothing for us to gain from the answer either way.
For landlords: finding the cause quickly, and having it in writing, is the fastest route to fixing it once. Our HHSRS property report scores the whole home against the same hazard system councils use.
Vigilant Surveys is an independent damp and mould surveying practice covering East Anglia, North London and the West Midlands. We carry out no remedial work, sell no products and take no commission from anyone who does the repairs, so there is nothing to sell you afterwards.
Every survey includes thermal imaging, moisture readings against a dry control and hygrometer readings, and you get a clear written report within 24 hours of the visit. £350 for the problem areas, £450 for the whole property, fixed prices, no payment to book.
In England, your landlord is responsible for damp and mould caused by the building, such as poor ventilation, inadequate heating, poor insulation, leaks or water getting in. Government guidance says it is unreasonable to blame damp and mould on tenants' lifestyle choices.
Awaab's Law sets fixed deadlines for social landlords in England to deal with damp and mould and other serious hazards. Since 27 October 2025, they must investigate a significant hazard within 10 working days, give the tenant a written summary, make it safe within 5 working days of the investigation, and deal with emergencies within 24 hours.
Not yet. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 allows it to be extended to private tenancies, and the government opened a consultation on 9 October 2026, closing 18 December 2026. There is no start date. Private landlords must already keep homes fit to live in and in repair.
Government guidance for landlords says it is totally unreasonable to blame damp and mould on lifestyle choices, and that the fundamental cause will be building deficiencies, inadequate ventilation, inadequate heating or poor energy efficiency. Sensible ventilation helps, but a home should cope with normal everyday living.
Report it in writing with photos and keep copies. In social housing, use the complaints process and then the Housing Ombudsman. In private renting, contact your council's private sector housing or environmental health team. Shelter and Citizens Advice can advise.
Yes. An independent survey gives you a dated record of what was found and the cause, written by someone who does not sell repairs.
No payment to book. Tell me what you are seeing and I will call you straight back, usually within a couple of hours, to arrange a visit and confirm the fixed price.
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