Damp and Mould: The Impact on Residents and Landlords
A Rising Concern for Residents and Landlords
As rising energy costs are making it increasingly difficult for households to keep homes warm, mould and damp are becoming widespread issues across the UK. This issue affects both residents and landlords. A recent survey found that 60% of UK residents have experienced mould at some point, and for 31% it’s still an ongoing problem. This is a horrifying statistic as for many this persistent issue causes significant concerns, financially and medically. 22% of those affected reported health issues and 37% said mould prompted them to leave their home.
Although damp and mould in local authority housing has decreased by 33% over the last decade, housing association properties have seen a 19% increase since 2012. This is reflected in the news that The Housing Ombudsman received over 16,000 complaints about damp and mould between 2019/20 and 2023/24. Housing association properties accounted for the majority of these complaints followed by local authority housing.
How Energy Prices Contribute to the Problem
Energy prices have yet to fully recover since the spike in 2021, which caused suppliers to remove deals. Whilst prices have dropped slightly, they are still higher than they were before the energy crisis. Ongoing global conflicts, such as the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Gaza wars, continue to drive up gas prices and overall energy costs. As a result, average energy prices and bills are not expected to return to pre-crisis levels until the end of the decade.
One of the main causes of mould in homes across the UK is condensation, which has become more common as rising energy costs prevent homes from being adequately heated. Common habits like drying clothes indoors, coupled with colder weather that makes people less likely to open windows, result in poor ventilation. This leads to higher humidity levels, creating damp conditions that promote mould growth. 68% of people have admitted that they’ve put their heating on less due to cost in the past two years. Other common causes of mould include leaving kitchen or bathroom doors open while cooking or showering, placing furniture directly against walls, not using ventilation when showering or cooking, keeping the shower curtain folded when wet, having excessive clutter, neglecting to clean carpets, and leaving spillages.
With the October price cap rising again, millions of households are likely to continue struggling with high energy costs this winter, putting even more homes at risk of condensation and mould.
The Impact on Residents
Mould exposure can have serious mental and physical health consequences on those living in the property. 40% of renters have reported high stress in relation to damp, mould, and cold conditions in their homes, impacting their mental health. People living with mould are also at a higher risk of respiratory illnesses, infections, allergies, and asthma. The NHS reportedly spends approximately £1.4bn annually on treating illnesses linked to damp and mould in housing.
In tragic cases, unresolved mould issues have even led to deaths, such as the case of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in 2020, who died from prolonged exposure to mould. His tragic death led to promises from the government to speed up action on fixing mould in social housing through ‘Awaab’s Law‘.
As of 27th October 2025, Awaab’s Law has come into effect for the social rented sector. This law is designed to ensure landlords act swiftly when damp and mould issues pose a serious health risk.
The Impact on Landlords
The impact on landlords is huge. It’s not just about dissatisfied tenants, but failing to address mould issues properly can lead to serious legal, financial, and ethical repercussions.
Landlords have long been legally obligated to ensure their properties are free from serious hazards, including dam and mould. The Housing Act 2004 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 require that homes be safe for tenants, with provisions for legal action if issues pose a serious health risk. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 also requires that properties be suitable for occupation, and landlords must meet minimum energy efficiency standards (EPC band E) to help prevent damp caused by inadequate insulation.
Now with Awaab’s Law officially in effect, social landlords are under greater pressure to act. This law sets strict time limits for investigating and repairing hazards like damp and mould once they are reported, ensuring tenants are no longer left waiting months or years for action to be taken.
Failure to meet these new requirements can result in serious legal action, compensation claims from tenants, and even the potential for prosecution as well as reputational damage. It’s more important than ever for landlords to respond quickly, maintain regular inspections, and take a proactive approach in preventing damp and mould in their properties.
How Green Energy Switch Can Help
For Residents
Free Home Energy Visits (LEAP)
We deliver the LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership) service, in which we can provide FREE home energy visits to assess damp and mould problems. Through this service, we can:
- Assess damp and mould problems in the home.
- Recommend energy-saving measures to improve warmth and reduce condensation.
- Help find a cheaper energy tariff to lower energy bills.
- Provide advice on heating and ventilation to minimise moisture build up.
- Offer free draught proofing excluders for windows and doors, helping to prevent cold air from entering and reducing excess moisture.
- Assess overall energy use in the home and provide recommendations.
- Identify the type of mould present, whether rising damp, penetrating damp, or condensation, and advise on the best course of action.
- Refer to the LEAP Appliance Scheme which provides eligible residents with a free dehumidifier or heated clothes airer.
Our expert advisors are here to help residents create a warmer, healthier, and mould-free home.
EPC Service
Our EPC service can help residents identify areas of poor insulation and energy inefficiency, which can contribute to damp and mould issues, providing specific recommendations to improve warmth and ventilation in their homes.
For Registered Social Landlords
Free Void Energy Management
We provide a FREE Void Energy Management Service, helping RSLs manage the energy supplies and related issues during void periods and help minimise mould risks, especially if they frequently need to decant tenants. Our home energy advice service can also support tenants upon moving in, to help reduce the risk of mould after the void period.
Fully Managed EPC Service
We also have our fully managed EPC service helping landlords meet energy efficiency standards, which can be vital in preventing damp and mould in the future. Whether one property or a thousand, we can take on EPC projects and stock condition checks, handling everything from arranging with tenants to end of project reporting.
Quick Tips – Ways To Take Action Against Mould Right Now
- Open windows regularly
- Cover pans when cooking
- Dry clothes outdoors or in a dryer
- Close internal doors when cooking or showering
- Use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom
- Leave a gap between furniture and external walls
- Wipe condensation from window sills each morning
- Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air (the cost of running one is cheaper than you think)
Sources
Black mould: How dangerous is it in the home and how can it be treated? – BBC News
Mouldy Nation Report 2025: Damp and Mould Plague UK Homes | News on the Block
Households at risk from mould in cold damp homes crisis
The growing problem of mould – a deep dive into UK housing – Landlord Today
ABOUT US
Green Energy Switch (GES) delivers a broad range of energy services across the UK; specialising in working with social landlords and local authorities. Established in 2006, GES is a subsidiary of environmental charity PECT. We gift-aid any profits to PECT to help fund their vital work. In doing so, we are the lead sponsor of their Forest project. So far over 131,000 trees have been planted, equating to a remarkable reduction of over 1,300 tonnes of carbon emission.
