Damp, mould and condensation

Customers who are concerned about their symptoms should seek advice from a healthcare professional. This includes:

• People with a pre-existing health condition (for example allergies, asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, other lung diseases and cardiovascular disease)
• People of all ages who have a weakened immune system, such as people who have cancer or are undergoing chemotherapy, people who have had a transplant, or other people who are taking medications that suppress their immune system
• People living with a mental health condition
• Pregnant women, their unborn babies and women who have recently given birth
• Children and young people
• Older people
• People who are bedbound, housebound or have mobility problems making it more difficult for them to get out of a home with damp and mould and into fresh air

Damp is generally caused by a fault in the structure of the building. There are two basic types of damp:

• Penetrating damp happens when water enters your home through an external defect (for example, a crack in a wall or a loose roof tile)

• Rising damp is when there is a problem with the damp proof course or membrane and water rises from the ground into the walls or floor

Condensation is not the only cause of damp. It can also come from:

• Leaking pipes, overflows and wastes
• Rain seeping through the roof where a tile or slate is missing, spilling from a blocked gutter, penetrating around window frames, or leaking through a cracked pipe
• Rising damp due to a defective damp course or because there is no damp-course
• Damp proof course being ‘bridged’ by soil piled against the outside wall

You will always find moisture in the air, even though it’s not visible to the eye. If the air gets colder, it cannot hold all the moisture and tiny drops of water appear, you will find this is most common around the windows in your home, this is condensation.

Condensation mainly occurs during the colder months, whether it is raining or dry.

It can be mostly found on the windows, mirrors and generally cold surfaces such as tiles. You can see condensation in the form of water droplets, this can then soak into walls causing damp and mould.

It is important you report this to us immediately. We’ll ensure we assess and identify any damp, mould or condensation concerns in your home, and work together to rectify the problem.

Here are examples of how damp and mould can appear in a home.

To ensure that we meet all legal requirements associated with keeping properties in a good state of repair we operate in line with our Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy.