Claim for Damp and Mould in a Rented House in England and Wales
Housing Repair Help Editorial Team · Reclaim Experts Ltd is a Claims Management Company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1030701. You do not have to use a claims management company to pursue a complaint or explore your legal options. You can report repair problems directly to your landlord. If you have an unresolved housing complaint, eligible tenants can also use the Housing Ombudsman Service free of charge: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/.
Damp and mould are among the most common housing problems reported by tenants in England and Wales. Left untreated, they can cause serious damage and significant health risks — particularly for children, elderly residents, and anyone with respiratory conditions.
If your landlord has been made aware of damp and mould and has failed to take action, you may be able to make a claim for housing disrepair.
What Causes Damp and Mould?
Penetrating Damp
Water entering through walls or roof due to cracks, faulty guttering, or damaged pointing
Rising Damp
Moisture from the ground travelling up through walls due to a failed damp-proof course
Condensation
Often worsened by inadequate ventilation, single-glazed windows, or lack of heating
Plumbing Leaks
Hidden leaks behind walls or under floors creating persistent damp conditions
Signs of Serious Damp and Mould
Black mould spreading across walls, ceilings, or around windows
A persistent musty smell that doesn't go away
Peeling wallpaper or paint
Damp patches that reappear after cleaning
Visible water stains on ceilings or walls
Health symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or skin irritation
Steps to Take When Reporting Damp and Mould
Notify Your Landlord in Writing
Take Photographs
Keep Records of All Communication
Visit Your GP
Contact Environmental Health
If your landlord fails to act, report to your local council's environmental health department. Learn more about reporting disrepair to your council.
Who is Housing Repair Help?
The facts about who we are, how we work and what you pay, set out plainly.
Who operates the service
Housing Repair Help is a trading style of Reclaim Experts Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 16058317) with its registered office at Innovation Centre, 49 Oxford Street, Leicester, LE1 5XY.
FCA status
Reclaim Experts Ltd is a Claims Management Company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1030701. You can check its entry on the FCA Register. It is also registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (registration number ZB869483).
What our role is
We provide free, plain-English information about housing disrepair, run a free eligibility check based on the details and evidence you provide, and help organise photos, reports and correspondence into a clear case file. Housing Repair Help is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal representation.
What happens after you submit an enquiry
Every enquiry is reviewed against the same criteria before it is passed on: whether the disrepair falls within the landlord's repairing obligations, whether the landlord was told about the problem and given a reasonable chance to fix it, the severity of the problem, the quality of the evidence, and how long it has continued. If your case is not suitable we tell you and point you to free routes such as the Housing Ombudsman Service, Citizens Advice and Shelter.
Our relationship with the solicitor
Suitable cases are introduced to specialist housing disrepair solicitors on our panel. Those firms are independent of us and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. They decide whether to take a case on, and any legal advice comes from them once they have been formally instructed and a client care agreement is in place.
How referrals work
When a case is suitable, we pass it to a specialist housing disrepair solicitor on our panel. Reclaim Experts Ltd receives a fee from the solicitor for any successful recommendation. You are never charged for the introduction.
What you pay
You pay nothing to Housing Repair Help. We do not charge tenants a fee for our eligibility check or our introduction service.
What "No Win No Fee" means
The solicitors on our panel may offer to run your claim under a No Win No Fee agreement. Under such an agreement, the solicitor's fee is only payable if your claim succeeds, and is then usually recovered from your compensation. If your claim does not succeed, you do not pay the solicitor a fee for their time. The solicitor will explain the full terms before you sign anything, and you are free to choose a solicitor of your own instead.
Has your landlord ignored damp and mould?
If damp and mould in your home has been reported but not fixed, you can submit your details to see whether you may be able to make a claim.
Start Your ClaimFCA Regulated Claims Management Company FRN: 1030701
No obligation.
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Evidence That Supports Your Claim
Photos
Dated photographs showing the extent of the mould
Correspondence
Copies of messages with your landlord
Medical Records
Documentation of health impacts
Council Reports
Environmental health inspection reports
Receipts
For damaged belongings or cleaning costs
When Damp and Mould May Lead to a Claim
If your landlord has been notified and has failed to take reasonable action, you may be in a position to seek professional help. Tenants may seek compensation for inconvenience, health impacts, and financial losses caused by living in a damp and mouldy property.
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Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
This article provides general information about housing issues in England and Wales and does not constitute legal advice. Legal services may be provided by independent solicitors where appropriate.