In England, around 2 million people currently live in homes with significant damp or mould — conditions that can cause or exacerbate a whole host of respiratory diseases.
It’s a serious issue, but single mum Becky’s landlord doesn’t seem to agree.
After splitting from her husband, the 37-year-old and her son had no choice to move into the black-mould riddled Sheffield flat. Since then, numerous requests for help have fallen on deaf ears, and she no longer knows where to turn.
In this week’s Money Problem, Metro consumer champion, Sarah Davidson, shares how Becky can get her mould problem dealt with once and for all.
Submit your Metro Money Problem
If you’ve got a money problem you’d like Sarah to look into, fill in this online form or email sarah.davidson@metro.co.uk, providing as much detail about your situation as possible.
No issue is too big or small, and all submissions will be treated with the strictest confidence.
The problem…
Last year I moved into a social housing flat with my 13-year old son after splitting up from his dad. It’s been really tough getting back on my feet financially. Even though we weren’t married, it was so expensive to leave our family house, and because I’m mostly relying on my single salary, money is really tight.
Ready to start your homebuying journey?
You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from:
– Award winning service from the UK’s leading mortgage broker
– Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week
– Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market
Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice.
Find out how much you could borrow online
Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
I want to provide a safe and warm home for me and my son, but I’ve had to compromise on where we live – and being honest, the flat we’re in isn’t great either. We don’t have any other options though, as rents are ridiculous where we are and I’m not prepared to move too far. The last think I want is to take my son out of his school and away from his friends when he’s already having to deal with me and his dad breaking up.
Last winter, we started to get black mould in the bathroom and living room and it’s been impossible to clean it away completely. It’s been better over the summer with the heat drying the flat out, but now it’s getting colder, I’ve noticed it’s starting to get worse again.
I’ve obviously told the landlord multiple times and he’s promised to get it sorted – but so far nothing’s happened. It’s been dragging on for months. I’m really worried about all the health warnings around black mould but I’m at my wit’s end – how can I get this sorted?
The advice…
This is not good – black mould is a type of fungus that thrives in damp, poorly ventilated homes. It’s often found around windows as a result of condensation but persistent leaks can also cause real problems.
As you’ve mentioned, there are serious health consequences from breathing in the spores. The most common is damage to airways and lungs but it can also affect the eyes and skin. Prolonged exposure can cause serious respiratory illness and even death in the worst cases.
The dangers of black mould were made tragically clear in 2020, when two-year old Awaab Ishak died as a result of long-term exposure in his Rochdale home. It’s taken five years for the government to push through new legislation but on October 27, 2025, Awaab’s Law finally comes into force.
This will require social landlords to fix reported damp, mould and emergency repairs within strict timeframes.
Your landlord should know this – and frankly, I’m appalled he’s not done something about it for you sooner. You’re well within your rights to expect your home to be safe to live in.
You’ve clearly reported the damage to him a number of times without any response, so the next step is to make a formal complaint to your landlord, stating that you are dissatisfied with the lack of action.
All landlords – including those contracted by councils to provide social housing – need to have a complaints policy, which you should be able to find relatively easily either online or by asking him directly.
The Housing Ombudsman has a lot of practical help available on its website but generally, when you make a complaint like this, you need to do it in writing and be clear about what has gone wrong.
In your case, make sure you include:
- When you first reported the issue
- Any actions the landlord has taken since
- What you think he should have done
- The effect this has had on you and your son
I’d also take plenty of photographs so you’ve got clear evidence of the extent of the issue.
He has a responsibility to respond to you under England’s Hazards in Social Housing regulations, so hopefully this will be the kick he needs to get on with the job.
If he doesn’t, you can take legal action through the courts for a breach of contract.
Before going down that route though, you should take it to the Housing Ombudsman. They’ll need to see a copy of your complaint, which you can submit online, but can then start a formal investigation.
When your landlord does sort the problem out – which, by law, he will have to from next month – make sure you check that the underlying cause of the mould is dealt with or it’ll just come back. Demand a further inspection around six weeks after the work is carried out to confirm it’s gone for good.
In the meantime, I’d suggest talking to your GP to request a general check-up for you and your son in case you are suffering any symptoms. Invest in a good quality mould spray and wash down the areas with warm soapy water regularly. If you can afford to, it might also help to get a dehumidifier. Failing that, a large bowl of plain old salt placed in any very damp areas will soak up some of that moisture.
Sarah Davidson is an award-winning financial editor and head of research at WPB.
Got a money worry or dilemma? Email sarah.davidson@metro.co.uk
