Cold and damp homes have recently come under much more scrutiny in the press alongside fuel poverty. This new interest from press and government should be welcomed because it has highlighted the terrible health impact of living in a cold, damp or mouldy home. It has also uncovered that this is predominantly a problem of the rented sector.
Sometimes damp, mould or cold problems are blamed on the lifestyle of the tenant, which is often not correct. Where the problems are caused by disrepair or lack of proper effective heating and ventilation, the landlord must carry out necessary repairs and/or improvements.
The first port of call if you have and issue with disrepair, damp or cold should be contacting your local estate or Fixflo via the National Trust website.
If a landlord fails to take action there is legislation that could be used to ensure they fulfil their responsibilities. These are also detailed in the House of Commons briefing note here.
If you have a serious problem which hasn’t been resolved, after approaching the National Trust, you can contact TANT and/or your local Environmental Health Department (EHD) to escalate the problem. Tenants are legally protected from retaliatory evictions once the local EHD has been contacted.
The Environmental Health Officer will visit and advise you of what action will be taken. They will also provide practical advice on how you can improve the situation, if necessary.
If you would like further information please do not hesitate to ask TANT for help by filling in the online contact form.