My Landlord Promised to Fix the Damp but Nothing’s Happened

Calm clarity: what to do in the next 72 hours (England & Wales, Sussex)

When a landlord keeps promising to sort the damp but nothing changes, the smartest thing you can do in the next few days is turn every vague chat into a clear paper trail. When you calmly put things in writing, ask for specific dates, and record what the problem looks like, you move the situation from “we’ll get to it” to something other people can see, understand and, if needed, help you enforce.

Calm, written steps usually move things faster than angry demands.

Start by sending a short, factual message (email is ideal) to your landlord or agent. Set out when you first reported the damp, what they said they would do, and when they said it. Then ask for two simple things: a firm inspection date and a rough timescale for the work. Keep the tone neutral and practical. You are not picking a fight; you are making it easy for them to organise repairs and hard for anyone to claim they “didn’t know”.

If anyone in your home is unwell, very young, older, pregnant, or has breathing problems, say so and flag that the issue is affecting health or sleep. You are not trying to diagnose an illness; you are explaining why delay is more serious in your case. Where there is a clear safety risk – such as damp around electrics, active leaks, or ceilings that look unstable – ask specifically what will be done to make the situation safe while a full repair is arranged.

In Brighton, for example, a family with recurring mould in a child’s bedroom kept being told it would “all be sorted soon”. Once they sent a calm email summarising dates, symptoms and photos, the agent booked an inspection within a week and followed up with a written plan. The only thing that changed was the strength of the record.

At the same time, start recording what you can see. Take wide photos of each affected room and close‑ups of mould, staining, peeling paint, swollen skirtings or floors. Do it in good light, include something for scale, and save the pictures with the date and room name. If possible, repeat the same shots after heavy rain or a spell of cold weather so you can show whether things are getting better or worse.

Keep everything in one place. A single email thread, a notes file on your phone, or a simple folder on your computer is enough. Each time you chase, reply in the same thread and attach the key photos again. That way, if you ever need to show a council officer, ombudsman, solicitor or advice worker what has happened, they can follow the story in minutes rather than picking through scattered messages.

Avoid “nuclear” steps in these first days. Withholding rent, carrying out major DIY work yourself, or refusing access can all weaken your position later. If you are already in rent arrears, or worried that this could tip you into them, get independent money or housing advice before linking repairs to payment. Your goal for now is simple: clear written notice, a reasonable deadline, and a clean record of what has and has not been done.

We often see cases at exactly this stage. When you already have a basic paper trail and photos, an independent inspection and clear report can quickly show whether this is condensation, penetrating damp, rising damp, or a mixture – and what a sensible repair plan should look like.

What’s actually happening: damp vs mould vs “everyday moisture” (and why it matters)

Understanding the difference between damp, mould and everyday moisture helps you describe the problem clearly and push for repairs that deal with causes rather than just hiding symptoms. When you can explain what you see in plain language, it becomes much harder for anyone to dismiss it as “just lifestyle” or something you should simply wipe away.

“Damp” is the catch‑all word for unwanted moisture in a building. It might be coming through walls, up from the ground, down from a leaking roof, out of a broken pipe, or from the way the building handles moisture in the air. “Mould” is the fuzzy or spotty growth that can appear when surfaces stay damp for long enough. “Condensation” is water that appears on cold surfaces when warm, moist air hits them – for example, on windows and external walls in winter.

From your landlord’s point of view, the cause matters. Damp caused by defects in the structure (like cracked render, missing pointing, failed damp‑proof courses, or leaking roofs and gutters) is usually their responsibility once they know about it. Moisture that is mostly about ventilation, insulation and heating patterns needs a more nuanced approach, because behaviour and building design both play a part. Many real‑world cases are mixed, which is why vague statements like “it is just condensation” are rarely good enough.

When you talk about what is happening, stick to observations. For example: “Black spots have appeared on the bedroom ceiling and are getting larger”, “Paint is bubbling and flaking at the bottom of the lounge wall”, “There is a musty smell and clothes in the wardrobe feel damp”. You do not need to label it as rising damp, penetrating damp or anything else – that is for whoever investigates properly. Your job is to record where it is, how big it is, how fast it spreads, and how it affects daily life.

Health worries are real and understandable, especially if children or anyone with asthma or other breathing problems lives in the home. You do not have to prove that the damp has “caused” an illness to justify action. It is enough to say, for example, “My child’s bedroom has visible mould around the window, they have been coughing more, and we are now sleeping in the living room because the bedroom feels unhealthy.” If a doctor, nurse or health visitor has commented on the housing conditions, keep any letters or notes with your evidence.

The same applies to cost and comfort. If you are doing your best to heat and ventilate but find the home still feels damp and cold, say so. Explain briefly if you have to ration heating because of cost; that context matters when others assess whether it is reasonable to expect you to “heat the property more”. You are not admitting fault – you are giving a realistic picture of how you live.

Above all, your observations feed into two things: legal duties and risk assessments. The more clearly you can show that the damp is persistent, not superficial; that you are using the home in a normal way; and that it is affecting health, comfort or the use of rooms, the harder it is for anyone to dismiss it as a minor, seasonal annoyance.

Your legal position in plain English: repairs, fitness, access, and “don’t do this” traps

Knowing the basics of who must repair what, and which actions can weaken your case, puts you in a much safer position when damp and mould are dragging on. You do not need to become a lawyer, but you do need a clear picture of your landlord’s obligations, your own duties and the steps that commonly cause problems later. In many tenancies, that includes a duty to keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair and to maintain key installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, heating and hot water, so damp or mould linked to those areas is usually their responsibility once they have been told about it.

Clear rules feel less daunting when you see your next step.

Alongside repair duties, there is now a stronger focus on whether a rented home is “fit for human habitation”. Persistent damp and mould in sleeping rooms, living rooms, kitchens or bathrooms can weigh heavily against a property being classed as fit, especially where health or normal use of rooms is affected. This is not limited to dramatic, dripping walls. Long‑term mustiness, recurring growth and cold, wet surfaces can all feed into assessments of whether the home is genuinely safe and usable.

You have responsibilities too. You are expected to use the home in a normal, reasonable way. That means not deliberately damaging surfaces, allowing reasonable access for inspection and repair, and doing everyday things like using extract fans where they exist or not blocking purpose‑designed vents. None of that removes the landlord’s duty to fix genuine building or service defects. It does mean that refusing appointments, changing locks, or ignoring simple ventilation advice can come back to haunt you later.

Some actions are particularly risky. Withholding rent without proper advice can lead to arrears and possession proceedings, even where there is a genuine repairs dispute. Carrying out significant DIY work – especially things like hacking off plaster, injecting chemical damp‑proof courses, or altering electrics – can make it harder to argue that the landlord is responsible for the current condition. Repeatedly refusing access for inspection or works can also weaken any later complaint or legal claim.

If you are worried about “retaliatory eviction” – for example, being served a no‑fault notice after you complain – keeping your behaviour reasonable and your records clear is vital. That does not mean you have to put up with unsafe conditions. It means you escalate through recognised routes, give landlords a fair chance to act, and avoid steps that let them argue you have created or prolonged the problem.

In practice, your side of the bargain is to report problems clearly, allow access, use the property in a normal way and keep your communication calm and factual. Your landlord’s side is to investigate, make the home safe, and put defects right within a reasonable time. The next stages are about turning those duties into real deadlines, clear evidence and specific actions.

Timelines that hold up: what “reasonable time” can look like (inspection → make‑safe → permanent works)

Even without a fixed legal countdown, you can still work to a timetable that most advice agencies, councils and ombudsmen will recognise as fair. Breaking things into clear stages helps you judge whether your landlord is moving at a reasonable pace and makes it easier for others to see where delays are happening, and these three stages broadly match what housing advisers and many councils expect to see when they judge whether a case has been handled sensibly.

Step 1 – Notice and inspection

Once you have reported the problem in writing, a prompt, meaningful inspection should follow, not just “noted, we’ll look into it”.

Step 2 – Interim control

After that visit, any serious risks should be made safe and steps taken to stop the damp or mould getting worse while full repairs are planned.

Step 3 – Permanent repair

Finally, a proper fix should be agreed, scheduled and completed, with you told what will be done and roughly when each stage will happen.

Keeping to these stages makes it easier for advisers, councils and redress schemes to judge whether your landlord has acted promptly and reasonably.

First comes notice and inspection. Once you have reported the problem in writing, it is fair to expect a response that does more than simply acknowledge your message. For serious issues – visible mould in bedrooms, leaks, or damp around electrics – an inspection within days rather than weeks is usually what advice agencies push for. For milder issues, such as small patches in non‑sleeping rooms, a slightly longer wait may be acceptable, but repeated deferral without dates is a warning sign.

Inspection should not just be a quick glance and a can of paint. A meaningful visit looks at the pattern and location of damp, checks likely sources such as gutters, roofs, external walls, pipework and ventilation, and may involve taking moisture readings. Before the visit, you can ask who is coming, what they will be looking at, and whether they are authorised to carry out any immediate make‑safe work if they find a hazard.

After inspection, the next stage is interim control. Sometimes, permanent repairs take time – for example, if scaffolding is needed or specialist contractors have to be booked. That does not mean nothing can be done. Depending on the case, interim steps might include making electrics safe, stopping obvious leaks, cleaning and treating mould that poses an immediate health concern, or providing temporary measures such as a dehumidifier where appropriate. You can reasonably ask what will be done now to stop conditions worsening while a full fix is arranged, and when that will be reviewed.

Permanent repair follows. Timings here vary widely: a simple gutter repair is not the same as rebuilding a flat roof or re‑plastering a whole wall after it has dried. What matters is that you are given approximate start and completion dates, told what will be done, and kept informed if there are changes. A simple way to frame this is to ask your landlord or agent to set out, in writing, the expected dates for each stage: inspection, receiving findings, authorising works, work starting and work finishing.

In Hastings, a tenant kept seeing a wet patch reappear on the same wall every winter. Each time, the landlord sent decorators to repaint, but nobody checked the cracked gutter above. It was only when the tenant pushed for a proper inspection, an interim fix to stop water pouring down the wall, and then a permanent repair to the gutter and plaster that the cycle finally broke.

If appointments keep being cancelled or deadlines pass without explanation, that is when you start to move from informal chasing into complaints and, eventually, enforcement. Keeping a simple table of dates – reported, inspected, promised, cancelled, completed – makes it much easier for an outside body to see at a glance whether the landlord has behaved reasonably.

“Reasonable time” in practice is about context. The same delay will be judged differently for a tiny patch in a hallway than for heavy mould in a child’s bedroom. But if you can show that you reported promptly, allowed access, followed basic advice, and still faced long gaps with little or no action, you are in a much stronger place when you take the next step.

Evidence that holds up: build a proof pack that others can scan fast

A well‑organised proof pack can turn months of frustration into a story that a housing officer, ombudsman or adviser can understand in ten minutes. When your photos, dates and messages are easy to scan, it becomes far simpler for someone outside the situation to see what has happened and why you are asking for help. You can think of your pack as six simple parts:

• A one‑page summary: – what the problem is, where it is, how long it has gone on, and what you want now.
• Photos and videos: – grouped by room and date, with short, factual captions.
• Basic readings: – simple humidity or temperature notes, clearly labelled with place and time.
• A communications log: – dates, who you contacted, how, what you said, and what they replied.
• Health and use impacts: – which rooms you stopped using, how sleep or daily life changed, any health comments.
• File structure: – a numbered set of sections and exhibits so everything is easy to share.

Using these pieces together makes it easier for advisers and enforcement bodies to see patterns, judge delay, and decide what should happen next.

Start with a one‑page summary. In short paragraphs or a few bullet points, set out where the problem is, when it started, how it has changed, how it affects you, what you have asked the landlord to do, what they have actually done, and what you want now. This summary goes on top of everything else; it is what busy people are most likely to read first.

Behind that, include your photos and videos. Group them by room and date, with simple captions: “Bedroom – north‑east corner above window – black spotting spreading out from edge”, for example. If you have repeated the same angles over time, show the progression. Avoid heavy editing or filters; clarity matters more than aesthetics.

Add any basic readings you have. A cheap humidity and temperature metre can be useful if you note where and when you took readings and under what conditions. You are not trying to prove a technical point; you are showing that the air in the home is often very damp or that surfaces remain cold and wet even when you are doing your best to heat and ventilate.

Next, include a communications log. A simple table with columns for date, who you contacted, how (email, text, portal), what you said, and what they replied is enough. Attach key messages – especially promises, missed appointments and any suggestions that it is “just condensation” without proper investigation – as numbered exhibits.

If health has been affected, keep this part factual and careful. Note when symptoms started or worsened, which rooms you stopped using, and any contact with health professionals. If a doctor or nurse comments on the housing conditions, keep the letter or note with your pack. Do not try to diagnose yourself or others; simply show the link in time and impact.

Finally, structure the whole lot so it can be shared as a single file or folder. Number each section and exhibit (for example, E1 photos, E2 timeline, E3 emails, E4 health notes, E5 missed appointments). When you send material to a landlord, council, ombudsman or adviser, refer to those numbers. That makes you look organised, credible, and easy to help.

This is exactly the kind of material that an independent damp specialist can work with. When you already have clear observations and a timeline, a site visit and measured report can turn that raw evidence into a diagnosis and a practical plan.

Escalation routes that actually move things: complaints, redress, and pre‑action posture

There is a natural ladder for pushing repairs forward, and you gain leverage by climbing it in order rather than leaping straight to court. Each step builds on your evidence, shows that you have been reasonable, and opens different ways for people outside the situation to put pressure on your landlord. The point at which you move from chasing to a formal complaint is usually when there has been clear slippage. That might be repeated missed appointments, failure to produce any plan, or no meaningful response despite written notice and reasonable deadlines. At that stage, you can write and label your message as a formal complaint about repairs and conditions, refer back to your earlier notice, and explain briefly what outcome you are seeking and by when.

For social housing tenants, the landlord (council or housing association) must have a complaints policy with set stages and timescales. Follow those stages carefully. Submit your complaint as directed, keep copies, respond within the time limits they give you, and ask for confirmation when your case moves between stages. Doing so keeps the path open to independent review if you need it later from a housing ombudsman or regulator.

Private renters who deal with a managing or letting agent will usually find that the agent is a member of a redress scheme. Where an agent has mishandled repairs – for example by failing to pass on reports, not logging defects, or making inaccurate statements – you may be able to complain to that scheme once you have used the agent’s own complaints process. Again, your proof pack and timeline make a big difference to how seriously your complaint is taken.

Only some cases go as far as a “letter before action” and potential legal proceedings. Where that becomes necessary, the letter normally sets out your history of notice and response, the current problems and their impact on you. It also explains what work you say is needed, what you want the landlord to do about costs or rent, and gives a reasonable deadline for reply. This kind of letter is most effective when it is based on solid evidence, including, in many cases, an independent technical report.

Compensation is often part of the picture, but it should not dominate early stages. Most tenants want the problem fixed properly, quickly and safely. Claims for damaged belongings, inconvenience or reduced use of rooms tend to be stronger when repairs are clearly overdue and impacts are well‑documented. Keeping your expectations realistic and your requests proportionate makes it more likely that complaints handlers, ombudsmen and courts will see you as a reasonable party.

Throughout, keep your tone factual and calm. Your anger or exhaustion are understandable, but formal processes run on evidence, clarity and structure. When you are ready to move beyond complaints into enforcement, the council’s housing or environmental health team may be the next, and sometimes most effective, step.

Council / Environmental Health in Sussex: when to involve them, what they inspect, and what notices mean

Council involvement becomes a powerful tool when serious damp or mould is affecting health, rooms are effectively unusable, or My Landlord Still Won’t Fix the Damp After I Complained and they have had a fair chance to act. At that point, asking the housing or private sector housing team to assess the property can move the discussion from personal arguments to objective standards. You can and should involve the council when damp and mould pose a real risk to health or safety, or when your landlord has had a fair chance to act and has not done so. In Sussex and elsewhere in England and Wales, that usually means contacting the housing or private sector housing team at your district, borough or city council.

Before you make contact, decide what has triggered this step. Common thresholds are persistent mould in bedrooms or living spaces, damage spreading despite repeated reports, evidence of leaks or structural problems, vulnerable people in the household, and long delays with little sign of progress. In your first message or online form, state briefly what the problem is, how long it has been going on, who lives in the home, and what (if anything) the landlord has done so far.

Councils often assess homes using a risk‑based framework that looks at a range of possible hazards, one of which is damp and mould growth. Officers consider both the likelihood of harm and its potential severity. They may look at the visible mould, how cold and damp the home is generally, whether there are leaks, what ventilation exists, and how easy it is to keep the place reasonably warm and dry.

In Brighton & Hove, Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings, Chichester and other Sussex areas, there are dedicated contact routes for private sector housing and housing standards. Wherever you are, the same principles apply: keep your initial summary short, attach a small selection of your clearest, dated photos, mention any health or vulnerability issues, and say you are happy to provide more information if needed. Offer access dates and times to make it easier for them to arrange an inspection.

A common pattern is a family in Sussex who have sent multiple emails about mould in a child’s bedroom, only to be told to “wipe it off and open a window”. When they finally contact the council with photos, a short summary and a record of missed appointments, an officer inspects, rates the risk as serious and requires the landlord to deal with defects as well as day‑to‑day moisture.

If, after inspection, the council finds serious issues, it can issue formal notices requiring the landlord to take specified action within set timeframes. An example is an improvement notice, which tells the person responsible what must be done and by when. These notices turn what were previously requests into legal requirements, and failure to comply can lead to further enforcement.

Council involvement can feel like a big step, and it can take time, but it often brings clarity. It becomes much less about you versus your landlord, and much more about whether the property meets basic standards and what must be done to put it right. If your landlord suddenly becomes more responsive once the council is on the scene, welcome the progress, but continue to keep your records and check that any agreement on works is actually delivered.

For landlords and agents, preparing for a visit means more than a quick tidy‑up. Having clear records of past repairs, any previous surveys, communication with the tenant and a realistic plan for interim and long‑term measures shows that responsibilities are being taken seriously. That, in turn, can influence how the council chooses to exercise its powers and how much formal enforcement is needed.

Book Your Consultation With Sussex Damp Experts Today

An independent damp survey from Sussex Damp Experts can turn vague promises and repeated excuses into a clear, evidence‑based repair plan that others take seriously. Instead of arguing about whether a problem is “just condensation”, you walk away with a plain‑English explanation of what is happening, how serious it is, and what a realistic fix looks like for your home. Arrange a consultation with Sussex Damp Experts, bring the evidence you already have, and use the report to unlock the repairs your home needs.

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