Help! the council won’t fix the damp and mould in my council house
Council damp and mould problems need acting on quickly. If your council will not fix the damp and mould in your council house, you are not expected to just live with it and hope it improves. In England, council tenants in social housing now have clearer rights under Awaab’s Law, and there are formal steps you can take if repairs are ignored or delayed.
That matters because council house damp is not just an inconvenience. Damp and mould can affect health, damage furniture and clothing, and make a home feel unsafe or unfit to live in. The Housing Ombudsman says damp and mould can harm residents’ health and wellbeing and can seriously affect their ability to enjoy their home.
The important thing is not to wait too long once the problem starts. If the council knows about the issue and still does not act properly, you may be able to escalate the complaint, involve the Housing Ombudsman, and in some cases seek legal advice on housing disrepair.
Why council damp and mould should never be ignored
Many tenants are told to open windows more often, wipe surfaces down, or use a dehumidifier. While ventilation can help in some cases, landlords should not simply blame the tenant without properly investigating the cause. Citizens Advice says a landlord should not blame a tenant for having damp and should find out what is causing it.
There are different causes of council house damp, including leaking pipes, roof problems, penetrating damp, rising damp, poor insulation, and condensation linked to design or ventilation failures. The exact cause matters because the right fix depends on what is really happening in the property.
For tenants, the issue is often simpler than the technical diagnosis. If the home is damp, mouldy, unhealthy or unsafe, the council should investigate properly and respond within the legal framework that applies to social housing.
What the council must do about council damp and mould
Awaab’s Law has changed how social landlords, including councils, must deal with serious hazards in England. GOV.UK guidance for tenants says the law applies to homes rented from the council where the occupier has a social housing tenancy agreement.
For in-scope hazards, the main current deadlines are:
- investigate emergency hazards within 24 hours
- investigate significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days
- provide a written summary within 3 working days after the investigation ends
- make the property safe within 5 working days after the investigation, where there is a significant risk of harm
- physically begin any further required works within 12 weeks at the latest, while keeping the tenant updated
If the hazard is so serious that the home cannot be made safe in time, the landlord must offer suitable temporary accommodation at its own expense.
That gives council tenants a stronger position than before. It means council damp and mould complaints are no longer something a landlord can keep putting off without consequence.
What you should do first if your council house damp is getting worse
The first step is to report the problem clearly and keep evidence. Both GOV.UK and the Housing Ombudsman stress the importance of telling the landlord what is happening and giving enough detail for the problem to be assessed properly.
Start collecting evidence straight away
Take:
- clear photographs of all mould, staining and damaged areas
- short videos if the scale of the issue is easier to show that way
- notes of when the problem started and how it has spread
- copies of emails, forms and complaint references
- notes of any health effects, especially for children or vulnerable adults
Evidence matters because it helps show the seriousness of the council damp and mould issue and what the council knew, and when. The Housing Ombudsman’s resident support material encourages residents to report the issue clearly and keep track of the complaint process.
Report it in writing
Even if you have already called the council, send the complaint in writing as well. Email is usually the easiest option because it creates a record. Explain:
- where the damp and mould is
- how long it has been there
- whether it is spreading
- whether anyone in the household is ill, very young, elderly or otherwise vulnerable
- what action has or has not been taken so far
This helps the council assess whether the issue falls within the urgent Awaab’s Law timescales.
What if the council ignores your damp and mould complaint?
If the council does not respond properly, do not stop at the first unanswered report. The House of Commons Library says social housing tenants can use their landlord’s internal complaints procedure and then, if the problem is still not resolved, refer the matter to the Housing Ombudsman.
Use the formal complaints process
A practical route is:
- make the initial report in writing
- ask for the issue to be treated as a formal complaint if the response is poor
- escalate to the next complaints stage if deadlines are missed or the council dismisses the issue
- keep records of every reply and missed promise
The Housing Ombudsman also provides resident support guidance on damp and mould complaints and when to bring the issue to the Ombudsman.
Take the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman
If the council’s complaints process does not resolve matters, the Housing Ombudsman may be able to help. The Commons Library explains that the Ombudsman provides a free, independent and impartial complaints resolution service for social housing tenants, and outcomes can include works being ordered and financial remedies.
That makes the Ombudsman one of the most important escalation routes for council damp and mould cases where the landlord has failed to act properly.
Can Environmental Health help if it is a council property?
This is where council tenants need to be careful. For private tenants and many housing association tenants, the local authority’s Environmental Health team can be an important enforcement route. But the House of Commons Library notes that this route is less helpful for council tenants because a local authority cannot act against itself in the same way.
That does not mean you have no options. It means the stronger routes for a council tenant are usually:
- the council’s own complaints process
- the Housing Ombudsman
- legal action where appropriate
- wider regulatory referral if there are serious systemic issues
This is one reason why legal advice on housing disrepair can be more relevant than generic repair advice when the landlord is the council itself.
When does damp and mould become housing disrepair?
A housing disrepair issue usually arises where the landlord has a legal duty to repair or maintain the property, knows about the problem, and still fails to put it right within a reasonable time. The Commons Library explains that landlords have statutory duties under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to keep the structure and exterior in repair and to maintain certain installations, such as water supply systems, where relevant. It also notes that tenants can take legal action where those duties are breached.
That means a leaking roof, defective guttering, broken pipes, failed ventilation systems or other repair defects that lead to council house damp may not just be poor service. They may amount to a legal disrepair problem.
Where serious damp, mould or unsafe living conditions are not being dealt with properly, advice on housing disrepair may help tenants understand what action can be taken.
Is your council ignoring damp and mould in your home?
If you have reported damp, mould or other repair problems in your council house and nothing is being done,
you may need more than another repair request. Legal advice can help you understand whether the issue could
amount to housing disrepair and what steps are available if the council still will not act.
Can you claim compensation for council damp and mould?
Sometimes, yes. Compensation is not automatic, but it can be part of the outcome where the council has failed to deal with the problem properly. Shelter’s social housing guidance says the court can order the landlord to fix the damp and mould and may also order compensation, while the Commons Library also notes that tenants may take court action as a last resort.
- Compensation may be more likely where:
- the problem has been going on for a long time
- the council had repeated notice of it
- belongings have been damaged
- health has been affected
- parts of the property have become unusable
- the council missed legal or complaint-handling duties
The exact outcome depends on the facts, but it is reasonable for tenants to ask about both repairs and compensation where a serious council damp and mould issue has been ignored.
What if the mould is affecting your health?
Health concerns should be reported clearly and early. GOV.UK says tenants should tell the landlord who lives in the home and provide enough information to help the landlord assess the risk accurately. The landlord guidance also says landlords should consider the circumstances of occupants, including where children or residents with health vulnerabilities may be at greater risk.
That is especially important if:
- a child has asthma or breathing issues
- someone is elderly or immunocompromised
- the mould is in bedrooms or around windows and soft furnishings
- the problem has spread across multiple rooms
The more clearly the health risk is recorded, the harder it is for the council to minimise the seriousness of the council house damp problem.
What to do next if the council still will not fix it
If the council still will not fix the damp and mould in your council house, the best next step is usually to stop treating it as an ordinary repair request and start treating it as a formal dispute.
A practical next-step sequence is:
- send a written formal complaint if you have not already done so
- refer to the dates you first reported the issue and any missed deadlines
- mention any health impact and attach updated photos
- escalate through the complaints process
- take the matter to the Housing Ombudsman if the complaint is not resolved
- get advice on housing disrepair if the problem continues
That route reflects the main options described in current official and sector guidance for social housing tenants dealing with damp and mould.
You do not have to keep living with it
The biggest mistake many tenants make is assuming the council will eventually fix the issue if they just wait long enough. Sometimes it does happen. But when it does not, delay usually helps the landlord more than the tenant.
With Awaab’s Law now in force for social housing in England, there are clearer deadlines and clearer routes to challenge inaction. If the council is ignoring council damp and mould, dismissing the seriousness of the problem, or blaming you without investigating properly, you are entitled to push the matter further.
A natural closing step for readers who need legal support is to raise the issue through the firm’s housing disrepair page or, if they are ready to speak to someone, through the contact page.
Need help with damp and mould in your council house?
Ongoing damp and mould can affect your health, damage your home and make everyday life difficult.
If the council is delaying repairs, dismissing the problem or failing to respond properly, our team
can help you understand your rights and whether legal action over housing disrepair may be appropriate.
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