Landlord Repairs, Damp and Mould: Your Rights

Damp, mould or a broken boiler are not just inconvenient. In England, a landlord must keep the structure, exterior and key installations in repair, and the home fit for human habitation, for the whole tenancy. Here is how the law works, and how to get repairs done.

Information last verified on 18 July 2026. This guide is general legal information, not legal advice.

Jurisdiction scope: This guide focuses on private renting in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own repair and fitness standards under their own housing law; see the per-nation note below. It is general information, not advice on your own tenancy. For help, contact Shelter, Shelter Cymru, Housing Rights or Citizens Advice.

What repairs is my landlord legally responsible for?

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 implies a repairing covenant into most tenancies, whether or not it is written into the agreement. It requires a landlord to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the property, including drains, gutters and external pipes, and to keep in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity, for sanitation, and for space and water heating. It does not cover damage caused by the tenant's own misuse, or fixtures and appliances the tenant is free to remove. A landlord cannot lawfully contract out of section 11 in a standard residential tenancy.

Does the law cover damp and mould specifically?

Section 11 is about physical disrepair, such as a leaking roof or a broken boiler, but damp and mould can also arise from poor ventilation, insulation or condensation without a single component being "broken." The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 closes that gap. It implies a term into the tenancy that the property must be fit for human habitation at the start of the tenancy and throughout it, judged against a list of factors that includes freedom from damp. Where damp or mould is serious enough to affect health, a tenant can bring a claim for breach of this fitness duty, separately from, or alongside, a section 11 disrepair claim.

How the council can help: the Housing Health and Safety Rating System

If a landlord will not act, the local council's environmental health or private-sector housing team can inspect the property under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), a risk-based framework that assesses hazards including damp and mould rather than waiting for a named defect. Where the council finds a serious ("category 1") hazard, it must take action, which can include serving an improvement notice requiring the landlord to carry out specified works by a deadline. This route is free to the tenant and does not depend on going to court, though a landlord who ignores a council notice can be prosecuted or fined.

Since 22 June 2026, when a council in England takes that action over a category 1 hazard the landlord could reasonably have removed, it can also fine the landlord up to £7,000 at the same time, without first waiting for a notice to be ignored (Housing Act 2004 section 6A, inserted by the Renters' Rights Act 2025).

Awaab's Law and the private rented sector

Awaab's Law sets fixed timescales for a landlord to investigate a reported hazard, such as damp and mould, and to complete any repairs, rather than leaving a tenant to wait indefinitely. It currently applies to social housing. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 provides for Awaab's Law to be extended to the private rented sector, alongside a Decent Homes Standard for private tenancies, but this extension had not yet come into force as of this guide's last verification. Treat it as a forthcoming change rather than a right you can rely on today, and check gov.uk for the current commencement position before relying on it.

How to get repairs done, step by step

Start by reporting the problem to your landlord or letting agent in writing, keeping a copy and a record of the date, so there is evidence of when the landlord was told. If the landlord does not respond within a reasonable time, or the work is not done properly, contact your council's environmental health or private-sector housing team and ask for an HHSRS inspection. Keep photos and, where relevant, a record of any health effects. Court action is a last resort, for when the landlord has been given a fair chance to fix the problem and has not, and is best taken with advice from Shelter, Citizens Advice or a solicitor.

Can my landlord evict me for asking for repairs?

No. Reporting disrepair, or a council serving an improvement notice, is not a lawful reason to evict a tenant, and protections against this kind of retaliatory eviction are part of the private rented sector reforms. If you are served with an eviction notice shortly after reporting a repair problem, or after the council has been involved, get advice quickly from Shelter or Citizens Advice, since the timing itself can be relevant to whether the eviction is lawful.

Renting outside England

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each set their own fitness and repair standards under their own housing law, and none of them mirror the English rules exactly. In Wales, occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 carry their own fitness and repair terms, enforced through the local council and Rent Smart Wales-registered agents. In Scotland, landlords must meet a repairing standard enforced by the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). In Northern Ireland, fitness and repair issues are enforced through the local council and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. If you rent outside England, check the position with Shelter Cymru, mygov.scot or Housing Rights rather than assuming the English rules apply.

This page is general legal information about landlord repair obligations, damp and mould, and fitness for human habitation in England, verified on 18 July 2026. It is not legal advice, and how the rules apply depends on your tenancy and where you rent. For advice, contact Shelter, Shelter Cymru, Housing Rights, Citizens Advice, or a solicitor. For related guides, see UK tenant rights, housing disrepair, the Renters' Rights Act 2025, tenancy types explained, and the United Kingdom law hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What repairs must my landlord do by law?

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, a landlord must keep the structure and exterior in repair, along with the installations for water, gas, electricity, heating and sanitation. This applies whether or not it is written into the tenancy agreement.

Does my landlord have to fix damp and mould?

Yes, if it is serious enough to affect the fitness of the home. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires a rented property to be fit to live in throughout the tenancy, which covers serious damp and mould even where no single part of the property is physically broken.

Who do I contact first about repairs?

Your landlord or letting agent, in writing, first. If nothing happens within a reasonable time, contact your council's environmental health or private-sector housing team, who can inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Court is a last resort.

What is Awaab's Law and does it apply to my private tenancy?

Awaab's Law sets fixed timescales for a landlord to investigate and fix serious hazards such as damp and mould. It currently applies to social housing. It is being extended to private renting under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, but this had not yet come into force as of this guide's last verification, so treat it as forthcoming rather than a current private-sector right.

Can my landlord evict me for asking for repairs?

No. Evicting a tenant purely for reporting disrepair, or because the council has served an improvement notice, is not a lawful use of the eviction process, and protections against this kind of retaliatory eviction are part of the private rented sector reforms.

What can the council do if my landlord ignores repairs?

The council's environmental health or private-sector housing team can inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Where it finds a serious hazard, it can serve an improvement notice requiring the landlord to act by a deadline, and can prosecute or fine a landlord who ignores it. Since 22 June 2026, a council in England can also fine a landlord up to £7,000 when it first acts on a category 1 hazard the landlord could reasonably have removed.

Do the same repair rules apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

No. Each nation sets its own fitness and repair standards under its own housing law. Check with Shelter Cymru in Wales, mygov.scot in Scotland, or Housing Rights in Northern Ireland rather than assuming the English rules apply.

Can I withhold rent until repairs are done?

This is risky and not generally advised without advice, since withholding rent can put you in arrears and at risk of action from your landlord. Get advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice before withholding rent over a repairs dispute.