The energy specialist, comparison website operator Uswitch, has released its latest “Mouldy Nation Report”. The report sheds light on the prevalence of mould across local authorities in the UK.
The issue of damp and mould is something of particular relevance to landlords given the imminent enactment of the Renters’ Rights Bill, a Bill which contains measures designed to combat damp and mould in private rented housing.
The Uswitch report follows recent UK government research which indicates that over 60% of residents have experienced mould in their homes—this has increased from 58% last year.
The findings from the Mouldy Nation Report reveal the top ten local authority areas with the highest number of mould complaints – see below. Eight of these ten areas are in London, underscoring a significant urban housing issue. Haringey topped the list, recording 30.71 complaints per 10,000 housing units.
However, the issue is not confined to cities. The report also highlights complaints in other areas as well including Adur and Lewes. It demonstrates that mould problems extend across the whole country, far beyond urban centres, it impacts a wide range of UK communities.
Energy specialist from Uswitch Mr Ben Galizzi emphasises the importance of maintaining a warm home to combat mould growth – the issue is that tenants often can’t afford to maintain the ideal temperature throughout the home (above 19/20 degrees C, given the high energy costs in the UK, and sometimes it’s an inefficient heating system and/or a lack of adequate home insulation.
“Living in a mouldy home,” says Mr Galizzi “is both unpleasant and a health hazard. Yet, many of us have encountered this issue at some point.
“Whether you rent or own, mould can be a persistent problem if the root cause isn’t addressed. With poor insulation and rising energy costs, it’s harder than ever to keep it under control.”
Ben Galizzi also stressed this common problem is shared responsibility between landlords and tenants. They must both play their part in tackling the causes of damp and mould.
“Tenants may need to make adjustments to their daily habits, while landlords must ensure essential property repairs are carried out.”
As a preventive measure, he advised homeowners and tenants that maintaining a warm home, particularly during winter is important to combat mould:
“Keeping your home warm can help prevent mould growth. If you're on a standard variable tariff and struggling with energy costs, it may be worth exploring fixed energy deals to find a more affordable option.”
The Mouldy Nation Report highlights an urgent need for improved housing conditions and energy efficiency measures to mitigate the growing mould crisis affecting UK households.
In 2021 The English Housing Survey (EHS) found that almost one-quarter, 23% of private rented homes in England did not meet the Decent Home Standard. This is around one-million homes.
The private rented sector (PRS) was found to have at least one Category 1 hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and damp and mould were commonly implicated in this.
Awaab’s Law – a law designed to tackle the mould problem in rented housing - has already been introduced into the social housing sector as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act and will expand into the PRS as part of the Renters' Rights Bill.
It means private landlords must follow strict timescales to inspect and repair hazards, such as damp and mould. The Government has claimed that the introduction of this law will “ensure that all renters in England are empowered to challenge dangerous conditions”.
The guidance to the Bill states that: “No-one should be forced to live in a home that is unsafe. Following the tragic and avoidable death of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak due to prolonged exposure to mould in his social rented home, the Manchester Evening News, Shelter and the Ishak family led a campaign for ‘Awaab’s Law’. This was introduced for social housing through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.”
The Renters’ Rights Bill when it is enacted, expected before Easter 2025, will now extend Awaab’s Law to all privately rented homes. This will give powers to tenants to challenge dangerous conditions and landlords will be obliged to take swift action to deal with mould problems and make sure their rental homes are safe.
The Bill will require all private rented sector landlords to tackle all identified hazards in their properties, particularly damp and mould, within a specified time. If landlords do not comply, tenants will be able to bring enforcement action against them through the courts.
In a similar vein to the approach used for social housing, Awaab’s Law will imply terms into private rented sector tenancy agreements. This means all private landlords will have to meet Awaab’s Law requirements – for example, on timescales for dealing with hazards such as damp and mould – when these are set out in regulations.
In the first instance tenants, rather than seeking redress through the courts should complain to their landlord giving them time to rectify the situation. If they are not satisfied with the response and the remediation, they will be able to escalate the issue to the new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman.
Failing a resolution of the issue in this way, if landlords fail to comply and fix the problem, tenants will be able to challenge them through the courts for breach of contract. If the court finds the landlord in breach, they will be able to order the landlord to take appropriate action and/or pay compensation.
Regarding the timescales to be set for private landlords to carry out repairs, the legislation guidelines state: “We recognise that there are differences between the private and social rented sectors. We will carefully consider how best to apply Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector in a way that is fair, proportionate and effective for both tenants and landlords, and will consult on this. We will set out further details on our plans in due course.”
A key tool the Government is relying on to improve rented housing standards is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This sets the rules for private rented housing in England and Wales requiring landlords to have their properties up to EPC rating of E or above. Under later regulations landlords will be required to ensure that their properties meet an EPC rating of C by 2030. Landlords must ensure that their properties meet these rules when renting them out.
Non-compliance could result in substantial fines, potentially reaching £30,000. This requirement covers all private rented homes, including buy-to-let properties, and may necessitate upgrades like better insulation, modern heating systems, or double glazing.
The challenge for landlords is that these upgrades often come with a high cost. Many landlords, particularly those with older properties, face significant renovation costs. However, there are Government support options, including schemes like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Great British Insulation Scheme.
The way the rating in the Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) is currently calculated is based on standardised data. It has been found that this method leads to anomalies in its rating grading system. It focuses on the cost of heating fuels as opposed to real-life energy usage and the carbon performance of running a building.
The present system uses natural gas as a reference point, which means that other fuels which can be just as efficient environmentally, because they cost more will lower the EPC rating. LPG and heat pumps for example can lower EPC ratings. These inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the existing EPC calculation mean that some landlords, having spent money to “improve”, find they have actually lowered their EPC rating.
Mould growth is caused by many factors, including heating and ventilation, insulation, how the building was constructed and how well the building is maintained, to how tenants take simple precautions within the home. This often sparks disputes over responsibility. The parties often blame each other, but a compromise must be found.
Generally, if the house is up-to-standard in every way, then it’s down to the tenants. But under the new system, the onus will be on landlords to prove this with good reliable evidence.
Tenants should take reasonable steps to prevent mould and damp. Simple precautions can have a big effect keeping mould at bay, including:
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