Council & Housing Association TenantsDamp & Mould Compensation Claims
Reported damp or mould to your landlord and nothing has been done? You may be able to claim compensation and force the repairs. We help council and housing association tenants in England and Wales. Check where you stand in 60 seconds.
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What Are The Signs Of Damp & Mould?
Damp & mould can develop for a number of reasons, including leaks, defects in the property, poor ventilation, inadequate insulation and condensation. Common types include penetrating damp, which can appear as patches that worsen after rain; rising damp, which can leave a tide mark on ground floor walls; and condensation, which can lead to black mould on walls, ceilings and window frames.
Broken extractor fans, faulty windows, poor insulation or inadequate heating can all contribute to condensation, damp & mould. These problems should not simply be dismissed as a tenant lifestyle issue. Your landlord should investigate the underlying cause and, where they are responsible, take appropriate action to put the problem right.
Signs To Look For In Your Home:
Black mould on walls, ceilings or window frames
Damp patches or water stains that keep coming back
Peeling wallpaper, blown plaster or flaking paint
A musty damp smell in rooms, wardrobes or cupboards
Persistent or heavy condensation on windows
Rotting skirting boards, window frames or flooring
Cold, wet walls or a tide mark low down the wall
Mould on clothes, curtains, shoes, furniture or bedding
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Can Damp & Mould Make You Ill?
Yes. Damp & mould can affect anyone, but babies, children, older people and people with breathing conditions or weakened immune systems may be at greater risk.
If you or your family have needed a GP appointment, a hospital visit or extra medication since the problem started, keep the records. They may help provide evidence of how your health has been affected.
Health Problems Linked To Damp And Mould:
Asthma attacks or newly diagnosed asthma
Wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath
Repeated chest infections
Sore throat, blocked nose and irritated eyes
Skin irritation and eczema flare ups
Allergic reactions that get worse at home
Broken sleep and constant tiredness
How Can I Claim Compensation For Damp & Mould?
You May Have A Claim If:
You rent from a council or housing association
Your home is in England or Wales
You reported the damp or mould and it was not fixed
It harmed your health or damaged your belongings
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Who Can Make A Damp & Mould Claim?
We act for council and housing association tenants in England and Wales. If you rent from a private landlord or through a letting agent, or your home is in Scotland, we are not able to take your claim. You may still be able to get advice from your local council or Shelter.
The one thing to know
Being told the mould is down to how you live in your home does not necessarily mean your landlord has no responsibility. Where the underlying cause is something like a broken extractor fan, a window that will not close or inadequate insulation, the problem may be linked to the condition of the property & you may be able to claim.
How Much Compensation For Damp & Mould?
There is no fixed payout for damp and mould. Compensation is usually made up of two parts.
General damages
This covers the impact the disrepair had on your day to day use of your home. The amount may depend on how serious the problem was, how long it lasted and how much of your home was affected. In some cases, the rent you paid during that time may also be taken into account.
Special damages
This covers money you have actually lost. That can include ruined furniture, clothing, carpets, bedding and electrical items, along with higher heating bills and extra laundry costs. Keep receipts and photos wherever you can.
If the damp or mould has caused or worsened a health condition, a personal injury element may also be considered.
What affects the amount
- How long the problem went unfixed
- How many rooms were affected
- Whether children or older people live in the home
- Whether the conditions caused or worsened a health problem
- The value of belongings that were damaged
- Whether you reported it and were ignored
- How much of your home you could not use
Rough figures only. This is not a valuation of your claim.
No tool can tell you what your claim is worth. Every case is decided on its own facts and some claims do not succeed. What a claim is actually worth depends on the evidence you have, when you reported it and how your landlord responded, how much of your home was affected and for how long, the effect on your health, and any rent arrears, which can be set off against an award.
Where the percentages come from
These are shares of the rent paid over the affected period, not fixed sums or fixed court tariffs. The calculator uses illustrative percentage ranges to show how compensation may vary depending on the extent of the disrepair. Every claim is assessed on its own facts. This calculator caps its illustration at 100% of the rent for the affected period; this is not a legal maximum.
The full method, and what is not included
How damages are assessed. Where a tenant stays in the property, the loss is loss of comfort and convenience. It can be assessed as a notional reduction in rent, or as a global award cross checked against the rent for the period. A further 10% is added to general damages under Simmons v Castle, and this tool applies it.
Courts vary the percentage over time. In practice a judge often applies different percentages to different periods as a problem gets worse or is partly fixed. This tool applies one band across the whole period, so it is a simplification.
Ruined belongings and extra costs are special damages. They are claimed separately, itemised, and should be supported with receipts, photographs or other evidence where available.
Not included: any personal injury, such as a breathing condition caused or made worse by damp, which is valued separately and has a shorter three year time limit; any rent arrears, which can be set off against an award; and the cost of the repairs themselves, which a court can also order your landlord to carry out.
The Housing Ombudsman is a different route. It can consider complaints about social landlords and may order compensation or other remedies. Whether it can consider a complaint can depend on whether the same issues are, or have been, part of legal proceedings. We can explain which route may be available to you.
This is general information about how the courts approach these claims. It is not legal advice, it is not a valuation, and using this tool does not make us your solicitors.
Open the full calculator on its own page
We cannot tell you what your claim is worth until we have seen your evidence. Every case is different.
Your Landlord's Legal Responsibilities
Your council or housing association has to keep your home in repair and fit to live in. These are the duties that matter most when there is damp and mould.
Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Your landlord must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair, including walls, roofs, guttering, windows and drains. Those are the usual sources of damp.
What landlords often say
“That is only condensation, so it is not a repair issue. Open your windows and wipe it off.”
What the law says
Section 11 makes your landlord responsible for the structure and exterior, including walls, roofs, guttering, windows and drains. Where condensation keeps returning because a fan has failed, a window will not shut or the walls are cold, that is usually a repair they have to carry out.
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Your home must be fit to live in for the whole of your tenancy. Serious damp or mould can make a home legally unfit, and you can take your landlord to court directly under this Act.
Fit to live in means what it sounds like. If the mould keeps coming back, a bedroom cannot be slept in or your things keep getting ruined, a court may decide the home is not fit for you to live in. Under this Act you can go to court yourself rather than waiting for the council to step in for you.
Housing Health and Safety Rating System
Damp and mould growth is a recognised hazard under the Housing Act 2004. Your council's environmental health team can inspect the property and order your landlord to act.
Awaab's Law
Since 27 October 2025, social landlords in England must investigate a reported significant damp and mould hazard within 10 working days, and complete safety work within 5 working days of the investigation concluding. Emergency hazards must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours. From 30 November 2026 the rules widen to cover more hazards, including excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and electrical hazards.
24 hours
Under Awaab's Law, in force since 27 October 2025, an emergency hazard must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
10 working days
A reported damp and mould hazard must be investigated within 10 working days.
5 working days
Once the investigation concludes, the safety work must be completed within 5 working days.
If your council or housing association has missed these deadlines, that failure can support your claim.
What to do if your landlord will not fix it
- Report it in writing by email, letter or the tenant portal, and keep a copy
- Take dated photos and videos of every affected room
- Keep a diary of who you spoke to, when, and what they promised
- Make a formal complaint through your landlord's complaints procedure
- Escalate to the Housing Ombudsman once that complaints process is exhausted
- Get free legal advice about a housing disrepair claim
How To Make A Damp & Mould Claim
From your first enquiry to getting repairs done and compensation paid, here's what to expect.
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1
Complete Our Form
Fill in your details so we can confirm eligibility and understand your situation.
2
Share Your Evidence
Send us photos, videos, and any messages you've sent to your landlord about the issues.
3
Letter of Claim
Your solicitor sends a formal claim to your landlord, starting the legal process.
4
Property Inspection
An independent surveyor inspects the property to assess and document the disrepair.
5
Repairs & Compensation
Your landlord arranges the necessary repairs and you receive any compensation you are owed.
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Council and housing association tenants
No Win No Fee (CFA). A success fee may apply if your claim succeeds. Available to council and housing association tenants in England and Wales.
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Damp & Mould Claims: Frequently Asked Questions
If you rent from a council or housing association, told them about the damp or mould, and they failed to put it right within a reasonable time, you may be able to claim. Whether a claim can be brought depends on your circumstances.