How Do I Complain to the Housing Ombudsman About Damp

Check you’re in the right place: is the Housing Ombudsman actually able to take your damp case?

You can complain to the Housing Ombudsman about damp when you live in social housing in England, have used your landlord’s complaints process, and believe they have mishandled the problem. The Ombudsman looks at how your landlord dealt with your reports, investigations, repairs and complaints, not just at the fact that your home is damp. Your first job is to confirm that you are the kind of tenant the Ombudsman covers, and that if you are wondering about Ombudsman about damp when dealing with this issue, you are complaining about service failure rather than trying to bypass normal repair routes. That way you avoid months of effort on a complaint the Ombudsman cannot look at, and you put your energy into the channels that are most likely to help.

Sussex Damp Experts prepared these steps for social housing residents who are living with damp or mould and feel their landlord’s handling has gone round in circles.

Living with damp is hard enough; the process for fixing it should feel straightforward.

Who the Housing Ombudsman actually covers

You are normally within the Housing Ombudsman’s scheme if your landlord is a council, a housing association, or an arm’s‑length management organisation (ALMO) that manages council homes. Those bodies are usually required to be members, and the Ombudsman expects them to follow recognised complaints standards for repairs and damp. The key question is always who your landlord is, because that decides which complaints scheme can look at your case.

If you rent from a private landlord, or only deal with a private letting agent, the position is different. Private landlords are not normally covered by the Housing Ombudsman. In that situation you are more likely to be dealing with local council housing standards or an agent redress scheme, and you should not build your whole strategy around an Ombudsman complaint that will simply be turned away.

Shared‑ownership and leasehold situations can be more complex. You may have a long lease but still rely on a housing association or council for repairs to common parts and the structure. The Ombudsman is interested in how that landlord manages repairs, communicates and handles complaints. Service‑charge disputes or pure ownership issues may fall elsewhere, but failures to investigate and deal with damp in shared areas or in your home are often in scope.

When your damp problem fits their remit

Your damp case fits the Ombudsman’s remit when the core problem is how your social landlord handled reports, inspections, repairs and complaints about damp or mould, rather than a one‑off repair delay. They look at whether your landlord responded reasonably once they knew there was an issue, followed their own procedures and met sector expectations. You are not asking the Ombudsman to be a repair contractor; you are asking them to assess the landlord’s service.

The Ombudsman is not an emergency service or a roving repairs team. Their job is to look at whether your landlord behaved reasonably once they knew there was a problem. That means they care about things like:

• how quickly you were able to report the damp or mould
• whether an inspection actually took place, and what was checked
• whether the landlord tried to understand the root cause, not just wipe off mould
• how they decided what works to carry out and how urgent they were
• how they handled your formal complaint about all of this.

When you think about your situation, try to phrase it in those terms. For example: “I reported mould in the bedroom in March last year. The landlord sent operatives three times to wash it off but never arranged a proper damp survey, never explained the cause, and never offered a plan to stop it returning.” That sort of wording places the focus on investigation and follow‑through, which is exactly what the Ombudsman will assess.

If your case is mainly about homelessness decisions, waiting lists, or how you were allocated a property, you may be dealing with a different ombudsman. If you are unsure, it is still useful to understand how social housing damp complaints are expected to run, then check jurisdiction before you rely on the Housing Ombudsman route.

Run two tracks early: report the repair and start an evidence timeline

You put yourself in the strongest position if you treat damp and mould as both a repair problem and a service complaint from day one. The Ombudsman and social landlords expect you to report issues through normal repair channels, but they also pay close attention to how complaints and evidence are handled over time. You report the problem as a repair to start the landlord’s internal process, and at the same time you begin quietly building a simple evidence trail you can keep up over months, not days. If you later need to go to Stage 2 or the Ombudsman, you already have the raw material they find persuasive instead of trying to recreate everything from memory.

Log the repair properly, not just a casual mention

You give yourself a clear starting point by logging the damp as a formal repair, using your landlord’s official channels rather than relying on casual conversations. The aim is to remove any doubt that they knew about the problem and had opportunities to act. Social landlords are expected to track repairs from proper reports, so you want your damp issue sitting firmly inside that system from the outset.

Use the official routes they provide for repairs: online portal, repairs phone line, email or letter. When you report the damp:

• say exactly where it is (for example “north wall of main bedroom, behind wardrobe”)
• say when you first noticed it and how it has changed
• mention any smell, flaking plaster, damaged paint or belongings, and any rooms you can’t use fully
• ask for a repair or inspection reference number and written confirmation.

If you have already told them verbally many times, record what you can remember now. Write down dates or rough months when you phoned, who you spoke to if you remember, and what they promised. Going forward, try to push as much contact into written form as you reasonably can: emails are easier to file and show to an investigator than dozens of phone calls.

At the same time, ask for a copy or link to your landlord’s complaints policy. You do not have to complain immediately, but you will know how their Stage 1 and Stage 2 process is supposed to work, what they call each stage, and what reply times they claim to work to.

Start an evidence routine you can realistically maintain

You build a strong evidence timeline by choosing simple habits you can actually keep going over months, not by trying to act like a surveyor. The Ombudsman and housing standards teams are interested in patterns over time: what you reported, how often the landlord attended, what they did, and how long the problem has affected your use of the home. A basic routine you can stick to is more powerful than a burst of activity and then nothing.

You do not need sophisticated equipment to start an effective evidence timeline. What matters most is that your notes are contemporaneous, objective and traceable. A basic approach that works well is:

• keep a simple diary or spreadsheet with one line per event: date, what happened, who was involved, and any reference numbers
• take clear photos from the same positions each time so you can see if the damp is spreading or recurring
• save emails, letters and text messages in one dedicated folder (digital or paper) rather than scattered across accounts
• note missed or cancelled appointments, including dates and any messages sent to you.

If you or someone in your household is affected health‑wise, you can note down dates of GP visits, new medication or changes in symptoms without trying to prove that damp “caused” every issue. The Ombudsman is more interested in how your landlord reacted to known vulnerabilities than in you acting like a medical expert.

Over time, this evidence routine gives you a pattern: when you reported, how often operatives attended, whether they did more than wash off mould, and how long the problem has been affecting your ability to live in the home. That pattern matters more than one dramatic photograph taken on a bad day.

Stage 1 complaint: write it so it can’t be brushed off as “just a repair”

Once you have reported the damp and started your evidence log, your next step is to set out a clear Stage 1 complaint when the problem is not resolved. Social landlords and the Ombudsman expect your complaint to cover three points. It should explain what went wrong with the landlord’s handling, what impact it has had on you, and what you want them to do now. From here, think of your complaint as a short, focused piece of writing rather than an angry email; the clearer and more organised it is, the harder it is for a landlord to brush it aside or treat it as just another routine job ticket.

A clear complaint is not about shouting louder, but about making it easier to do the right thing.

Structuring a strong Stage 1 complaint

At Stage 1, a simple structure makes your complaint easier to follow. Organise it around four headings: what happened, what went wrong with the landlord’s handling, how this has affected you, and what you want them to do now. When you set things out in that order, complaints staff – and later the Ombudsman – can see the pattern and the outcome you are asking for without digging through pages of detail. Think of your Stage 1 letter or email as a short report, not a rant. A simple structure that works well is:

1. Summary – one or two paragraphs explaining what the problem is, how long it has been going on, and that you are now making a formal complaint.
2. What happened – a short chronology setting out key dates: first report, visits, promised works, problems recurring, missed appointments.
3. What went wrong – a list of specific service failures, such as unreasonable delays, poor communication, failure to investigate the cause properly, or ignoring vulnerabilities.
4. Impact on you – how this has affected your health, daily life, rooms you can or cannot use, belongings, and stress.
5. What you want – a clear set of outcomes, including action on the building, a realistic plan to prevent recurrence, and any redress you believe is appropriate.

Using headings in your complaint document helps busy complaints officers see that you have covered all the essentials. It also lays the groundwork for the Ombudsman, who will later be looking for the same elements: events, failures, impact and remedy.

At the end of your complaint, make a point of asking for a written response to your complaint at Stage 1, a complaint reference number, and the date by which they say they will reply under their policy.

What to ask the landlord to do at Stage 1

You help both yourself and any Ombudsman later by asking for clear, reasonable outcomes at Stage 1 instead of leaving things vague. In damp and mould cases, that usually means a proper investigation into the cause, a meaningful plan of works, and a way to check the problem really goes away. Keeping your requests proportionate and tied to your evidence shows you are trying to get the home put right, not to punish the landlord.

For damp and mould cases, common and reasonable requests include:

• a proper inspection by someone competent to identify the cause, not just the symptoms
• a written explanation of the likely causes in plain language
• clear identification of issues such as penetrating damp, leaks or condensation
• a schedule of works to tackle the causes
• details of any external repairs, internal works and ventilation improvements
• a timescale for doing the work and making good damaged finishes
• an explanation of how they will check the works have actually solved the problem, such as follow‑up inspections or moisture readings
• an outline of how they will support you if there are clear health or vulnerability factors.

If you believe you should be compensated for loss of use of rooms, damage to belongings or distress and inconvenience, you can say so, but it helps to tie this to your evidence. For example, you might note that your child has been sleeping in the living room for months because their bedroom is too damp, or that you have had to replace mould‑damaged furniture.

Keeping your requests specific and grounded in facts shows that you are not trying to punish the landlord, but to get the home put right and the impact addressed. That tone is more likely to be persuasive with both the landlord and, if needed, the Ombudsman.

Stage 2 and the final response: escalation and dealing with delay

You should move to Stage 2 of your landlord’s complaints process when Stage 1 has not resolved the damp, their response is missing, or their reply sidesteps your main concerns. Stage 2 is the point where you ask for a more senior review of the case, not just another routine repair visit. Think of Stage 2 as your chance to say, in effect, “Stage 1 did not fix this, and here is why.” Handling this step clearly helps show you have done your part and that the matter is ready for independent scrutiny if needed.

The way you handle this stage often decides whether the Ombudsman will later see your complaint as “exhausted” and ready for investigation.

When and how to escalate to Stage 2

You escalate to Stage 2 when the landlord has had a fair opportunity to put things right at Stage 1 but the damp problem remains or your complaint has not been answered at all. At this point you are asking for a more senior or formal review of what has happened so far, not simply re‑reporting a repair. Setting out clearly why Stage 1 fell short makes it easier for both the landlord and Ombudsman to see that escalation was justified.

You normally move to Stage 2 if:

• your Stage 1 complaint has been answered but the damp problem remains, or the main concerns were not dealt with
• the landlord has missed its own Stage 1 timescale and you have chased without result
• they have offered only superficial actions, such as repeated mould washing, without a clear plan to tackle the cause.

When you write to escalate, it helps to:

• refer to your Stage 1 complaint and the date of their reply (or state clearly that no reply has been received)
• list the main points you raised that remain unresolved
• explain what has happened since, including any further reports or inspections
• say that you are now asking for a Stage 2 review and a final response under their complaints policy.

Those triggers show that Stage 1 has either failed or stalled and that a review is now necessary rather than optional.

Again, ask for a clear Stage 2 or “final” response date. Some policies set specific targets; others may simply say they will respond within a reasonable period. Having that commitment in writing makes it easier to argue later that you have waited long enough.

Handling silence, delay and outdated “democratic filter” advice

You deal with silence and delay by calmly recording missed deadlines, chasing in writing, and refusing to let your complaint be reset every time someone wipes down mould. Landlords are not supposed to keep restarting the clock on long‑running damp issues, and the Ombudsman will look at overall delay, not just isolated work orders. Treat each missed response as part of your evidence that the process is not working as it should.

It is common in damp cases for landlords to restart the clock each time they send someone to look at the problem, even if nothing changes. You are entitled to say that your complaint is about the ongoing failure to resolve the issue despite repeated opportunities, not about one isolated work order.

A simple example might be a Stage 1 reply promising a review by May, followed by silence. Your timeline then shows two written chasers in June and a missed inspection in July. Set out like that, it becomes obvious that the real issue is a long pattern of delay, not a single missed call.

Keep your master log up to date with every call, email and visit. If deadlines pass with no reply, write a short, calm chaser that:

• refers to the original complaint and the promised response date
• confirms that you still want a Stage 2 or final response
• notes any worsening conditions or additional impacts since you first complained.

You may still encounter older information saying you must wait a fixed number of weeks after the landlord’s final response, or that you need an MP or councillor (a “designated person”) to refer your case to the Ombudsman. That “democratic filter” rule has been removed. You no longer need political sign‑off, and long waits after the final response are not a formal requirement. If someone relies on that outdated rule, you can politely ask them to point to their current policy and then ask for the correct escalation route.

If you choose to involve your MP or a councillor, treat them as an additional source of pressure and visibility, not as a gatekeeper. You still need to complete the landlord’s complaint stages as far as you reasonably can.

Submitting to the Housing Ombudsman: what to send and what to expect

You reach the point of submitting to the Housing Ombudsman when your landlord has issued a final response or has effectively stalled for long enough that escalation is reasonable. By then you should be able to show that you followed their complaints process, gave them chances to act, and still face ongoing damp or mould problems. You are now putting that clear, self‑contained story in front of an independent investigator who will test whether the landlord’s handling met expected social housing standards. By this stage, you are no longer trying to get one more repair ticket raised; you are asking for an independent view on whether the landlord’s overall handling has been reasonable, based on the pattern of reports, inspections, works and complaints that you can now show.

Building a submission the Ombudsman can work with

You build an Ombudsman submission they can work with by pulling together a short, factual summary of events plus a small bundle of key documents that show the pattern. The investigator needs to see who your landlord is, what you reported, how they responded at each stage, how the problem affected you, and what outcome you are now seeking. Keeping that summary focused makes it easier for them to understand the case quickly.

Before you press any “submit” button, pause and check:

• is your landlord definitely in the Housing Ombudsman’s scheme?
• have you completed their complaint stages, or can you show that they have unreasonably failed to progress your complaint?
• do you have the key documents together: complaint letters, responses, repair history, your timeline, and core evidence?

It helps to prepare a short case summary. Aim for ten or so lines that cover:

• where you live and who your landlord is
• when you first reported the damp or mould
• what the landlord did and did not do
• how the problem has affected your use of the home and household members
• how the complaints process unfolded at Stage 1 and Stage 2
• what you are now asking the Ombudsman to consider and why you believe that is fair.

Try to keep this summary factual and calm. Avoid repeating long descriptions of every phone call. Those details should already be in your timeline and correspondence. If you can answer those points clearly, your case is usually ready to put in front of the Ombudsman.

What documents and evidence to include

You strengthen your Ombudsman case by including documents that show clear decisions, delays and patterns, rather than sending every scrap of paper. The Ombudsman will also request records from your landlord, but your own bundle should make your side of the story obvious at a glance. Think about what an independent person would need to see to understand how long this has gone on and how the landlord has responded.

The Ombudsman’s investigations are document‑driven. They will usually ask the landlord for their full records, but it is sensible to send a bundle that shows your side clearly. Focus on material that proves what happened, how the landlord responded and how long it has taken, rather than including everything.

Typical inclusions are:

• your Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints
• the landlord’s written responses at each stage, or proof that no response was sent
• your timeline or chronology, ideally on one or two pages
• photographs showing where damp and mould are and how they have developed
• key emails or letters that show missed appointments, broken promises or shifting explanations
• any inspection or survey reports you hold, especially those that identify a likely cause or recommend works.

If the landlord’s internal records seem incomplete, you can make a targeted request for your personal data and records they hold about you, asking for things like repair history, inspection notes and complaint logs. You do not need to send every internal document with your initial Ombudsman complaint, but you do want enough material to show that your concerns are serious, long‑lasting and supported by evidence.

At this point you should also be realistic about timescales. Ombudsman investigations can take months. The benefit is that, at the end, you may get an independent view on whether your landlord’s handling fell below what is expected and, if so, what should happen next.

What you can realistically get from the Housing Ombudsman

From the Housing Ombudsman you can realistically expect an independent view on whether your landlord’s handling of your damp complaint was reasonable and, if not, practical remedies rather than hands‑on repair work. They look at whether your landlord followed its policies and typical sector standards, treated you fairly and took reasonable steps to resolve the problem. They are not a repairs contractor and do not replace the courts where a legal claim is being pursued. Their role is to decide whether there has been service failure or maladministration and, if so, to set out appropriate remedies.

Understanding their role helps you frame what you ask for in a way they can grant.

Repairs, follow‑through and making your home usable again

In damp cases, one of the most important outcomes is a clear, credible plan to stop the moisture problem and return your home to normal use. The Ombudsman can push landlords to arrange proper investigations, carry out repairs within a set timescale and check that damp and mould do not return. You are not asking for perfection, but for a reasonable route from long‑running problems to a dry, usable home.

In these situations, the Ombudsman may expect a landlord to:

• carry out or commission further investigation to identify the cause of damp and mould
• complete repairs or improvement works within a specified timescale
• make good damaged plaster, decorations and finishes after damp works
• check, after works, that the problem has genuinely been resolved.

When you are framing what you want, it helps to ask for verification as well as action. For example, you might say you want your landlord to provide a written works plan, complete repairs by a certain date, and carry out a follow‑up inspection several months later to confirm that damp and mould have not returned.

If your household includes people with particular vulnerabilities, such as young children, respiratory conditions or mobility issues, a reasonable outcome might include earlier scheduling, temporary moves within the property, or special arrangements to reduce disruption.

Specialist damp surveyors, such as Sussex Damp Experts, can sometimes help you understand whether proposed works are likely to address the underlying moisture problem. That kind of independent view can make it easier to explain to the Ombudsman why you believe more thorough investigation or follow‑up is still needed.

Redress, apologies and service improvements

You can also ask the Ombudsman to consider redress for the way your case was handled, not only the physical repairs. That might mean apologies, compensation for distress and inconvenience, or changes to policies so future tenants are not left in the same position. The Ombudsman looks at whether the remedy matches the scale and length of the landlord’s failings, not at how angry you feel.

Where things have gone wrong, the Ombudsman can also look at redress. They may, for example, direct or recommend that the landlord:

• apologises formally for specific failings
• pays compensation for distress and inconvenience, time and trouble, or loss of amenity where rooms could not be used
• reimburses proven, reasonable expenses, such as additional heating costs or destroyed belongings, where those link clearly to the landlord’s failures
• reviews its policies or staff training so similar problems are less likely to recur.

You strengthen your position by linking redress to clear evidence: dates when rooms were unusable, extra journeys to launder mould‑affected bedding, documented health appointments, and the length of time you spent chasing without result.

For landlords and governance teams, damp and mould cases are often a prompt to review inspection standards, record‑keeping, complaint handling and how they communicate with residents about causes and responsibilities. When you propose service improvements in your complaint, you are not only asking for your own case to be resolved but also pointing to changes that would benefit others in similar homes.

If there’s an urgent health or safety risk: run parallel routes while your complaint continues

If damp and mould in your home create serious health or safety risks, you should run urgent safety routes in parallel with your landlord’s complaint process instead of waiting passively. Social housing guidance accepts that some conditions are too serious to leave to slow complaint cycles alone. Sometimes damp and mould are more than an inconvenience. If mould growth is heavy, rooms are unusable, or someone in your home is clinically vulnerable, you may need urgent action at the same time as working through the landlord’s complaints process and, if necessary, the Ombudsman. Thinking in terms of hazards as well as service standards helps you decide when to involve environmental health or other agencies.

Parallel safety routes while your complaint runs

You judge whether your situation has moved into serious hazard territory by looking at the people affected, the rooms involved and any obvious safety risks. When mould is heavy in sleeping areas, someone’s breathing has worsened alongside damp, or damp threatens electrics, it is usually time to involve the council’s housing or environmental health team as well as continuing your landlord complaint. Those authorities are used to dealing with hazardous housing conditions.

A typical situation might be a child with asthma whose coughing worsens as bedroom mould spreads along an outside wall. You continue your landlord’s complaint process, but at the same time you ask the council’s housing standards team to inspect and your child’s GP to record how housing conditions are affecting their symptoms.

Ask yourself calmly whether your situation has moved into “serious hazard” territory. Signs might include:

• a child or adult with asthma or other breathing problems whose symptoms have worsened alongside damp
• visible mould in sleeping areas, especially at bed level
• widespread damp making electrical safety a concern
• a total loss of use of essential rooms, such as the only bedroom or main living room.

If you are in social housing and think conditions could be hazardous, it may be appropriate to contact your local council’s environmental health or housing standards team. They have powers to assess hazards in rented homes and, in some cases, require landlords to act. This route can run in parallel with your landlord’s complaints process and any eventual Ombudsman case.

If you rent privately, the environmental health route is often the primary external option for damp and mould. The Housing Ombudsman is not usually involved, but much of this evidence‑gathering and complaint‑structuring advice still applies.

Protecting vulnerable people and looking after yourself

You protect vulnerable people in your household by making sure relevant professionals know about the damp situation and by organising short‑term coping measures while formal processes run. That might mean speaking to a GP or school nurse, rearranging sleeping spaces or using temporary equipment to reduce moisture. None of this replaces proper repairs, but it can reduce health risks and stress until more permanent solutions are in place.

Where children, older people, or those with pre‑existing health conditions live in the property, it is sensible to let relevant professionals know what is happening. That might mean discussing the situation with a GP, health visitor or school nurse and making sure any letters or notes they produce are kept in your evidence bundle.

You may also need short‑term practical support while the wheels of formal processes turn: help with heating costs, dehumidifier use, or temporary alternative sleeping arrangements. None of these replaces the need for proper building repairs, but they can reduce risk and stress in the meantime.

Living with unresolved damp over months is wearing. Organising everything into a single “case pack” – your timeline, key photos, main letters and medical notes – can make it easier to talk to different people without reliving the story from scratch every time. If the process is affecting your mental health, it is reasonable to seek emotional support as well as practical help, whether from friends, family, support organisations or professional services.

Book Your Consultation With Sussex Damp Experts Today

A targeted consultation with Sussex Damp Experts can turn a stalled damp complaint into a strong, Housing Ombudsman–ready case. When you feel stuck between a deteriorating home and a landlord complaints process that is going nowhere, focused support helps you see where you stand and what to do next. Instead of guessing, you get a clear view of whether the Ombudsman is the right route and whether you have met the usual pre‑conditions, and you leave with a sharper picture of your options, a tightened complaint and a realistic plan for your next move.

In that conversation you can work through your Stage 1 and Stage 2 correspondence, your repair history and your personal timeline. Together, you can turn scattered notes into a clear narrative about service failure, supported by dates, documents and photographs that an Ombudsman investigator can understand quickly. Where appropriate, you can also define a practical scope for investigations, repairs, ventilation and verification that moves beyond “we wiped the mould”.

If you want your next step to be a calm, structured move rather than one more frustrated email, book a consultation with Sussex Damp Experts and put a clear plan around your complaint.

Frequently Asked Questions