Damp and condensation

A cause of damp in a home may be condensation.

Condensation forms when warm, moist air contacts cold surfaces such as windows, floors or walls. Condensation occurs mostly during periods of cold weather. It can damage:

  • floor coverings
  • clothes
  • bedding
  • decorations

Over time the damp areas can attract black mould which grows on the surface.

What is the most common cause of condensation?

  • too much moisture being produced in your home
  • not enough ventilation
  • the temperature in your home not being kept at an ambient temperature of at least 18ºC

How can you reduce condensation?

  • Increase ventilation in your home
  • Reduce the amount of moisture in the air
  • Try to keep an even, constant temperature
  • Maintain a low level of heating in your home to assist in keeping wall temperatures warmer

Preventing condensation in your home

Some of the things you can do to reduce the build-up of condensation in your home and lessen its effects are:

  • Do not dry washing on radiators.  If you do need to do this then have windows open or ensure that the room is ventilated.
  • Dry laundry outside; if that’s not possible, use the bathroom with the window open.
  • Properly vent tumble dryers.
  • Cover pans and switch off kettles as soon as they have boiled to minimise steam.
  • Close kitchen and bathroom doors to prevent moisture escaping when cooking or bathing.
  • Maintain low-level heating, such as turning radiators to a frost setting in rooms likely to be unoccupied for prolonged periods of time.
  • Do not use portable gas heaters as they produce very high levels of condensation, and the conditions of tenancy mean you are not allowed to use them.
  • Do not block or obstruct air vents.
  • Use extractor fans, where provided, when cooking and bathing.
  • Wipe condensation from windows daily.
  • Run cold water first then add the hot water when having a bath; this reduces condensation by up to 90%.
  • Ventilate rooms daily for at least 30 minutes or use your window vents for long periods.
  • Keep furniture away from direct contact with external walls to prevent dampness occurring.

How to remove mould?

Walls and surfaces

  • Wipe down or spray affected surfaces with a fungicidal wash that has a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approval number. Make sure that you follow the instructions for its safe use. Fungicidal washes are available in most supermarkets or D.I.Y. stores.
  • After treating mould, redecorate using a good quality fungicidal paint and a fungicidal wallpaper paste to help prevent mould recurring.
  • Do not cover fungicidal or anti-condensation paint with ordinary paint or wallpaper as it will stop it working.

Clothes and carpets

  • Dry clean mildewed clothes and shampoo carpets and soft furnishings. Do not try to remove mould by using a brush or vacuum as this may help mould growth spread.
  • The only lasting cure for severe mould is to cure the moisture.

What to do if you find damp or mould in your home

We would advise you, where possible, to investigate the cause of the damp and mould.  If it is a property defect (for example, a leaking roof), you should request a repair with your landlord.

If you are a Council tenant please telephone us on 01695 577177 to discuss your damp and mould with us so that we can arrange for a member of our damp team to carry out a survey of your home.

Or you can report a repair here

If you are renting privately, more information on repairs is provided by Shelter

Or you can contact the Council's Private Sector Housing Team at privatesectorhousing@westlancs.gov.uk.

WLBC'S damp information leaflet

Download our damp information leaflet (PDF 2mb)

Council's Damp and Mould Policy 

Download our Damp and Mould Policy (PDF 168kb)

Council's Damp and Mould Strategy and Action Plan

The Council's Damp and Mould Strategy and Action Plan sets out how the Council is tackling the root causes of damp and mould and the plans that we have in place to improve  the service offered to tenants who encounter damp and mould.   We understand that some people are more sensitive to damp and mould than others and we will always consider tenants vulnerabilities when dealing with damp and mould cases.

Our principals are

  • Prevent - We will invest in our homes to make them more energy efficient.
  • Inform - Provide customers with advice and support to help them on financial matters and energy usage to help combat fuel poverty.
  • Identify - Through knowledge of our housing stock we will continue to identify damp and mould and build our knowledge of damp and mould in our homes.
  • Act - We will prioritise cases where appropriate and take prompt action to apply the best solution to deal with each occurrence of damp or mould that we identify.
  • Resolve - We will ensure that the solutions we apply work, and we will continue to monitor the success of those solutions and refine our approach as necessary until the damp has been eliminated.
  • Monitor – Where we have identified a damp problem, we will keep in touch with tenants and will monitor the situation until it is reasonable to conclude that the damp has been eliminated and should not return.
  • Review – We will periodically review our Damp and  Mould Policy, Strategy and Action Plan to ensure that our approach remains effective

Download our Damp Strategy and Action Plan  2025-2028

Our action plan can be downloaded here.

Further information for residents and tenants

The following resources indicate how tenants and residents can approach damp and mould in their homes

Government Guidance on damp and mould.

How to rent: guide for tenants in the private rented sector to help them understand their rights and the process of renting.

Guide for tenants: Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018: guide for tenants in the social and private rented sectors on their rights under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act.

Damp and mould in private rented homes - Shelter: advice and resources for private tenants who have identified damp and mould in their home, including advice on raising issues with landlords.

Shelter provides housing advice for tenants on housing issues and legal aid and free legal advice for tenants who qualify for advice and representation to address serious housing problems.

Advice from Citizens Advice: information on damp and mould.

Damp repairs in rented housing: advice for tenants on different types of damp, who’s responsible for addressing them and how, as well as routes to escalate concerns if the landlord doesn’t take action.

Dealing with damp and condensation, NEA leaflet

Indoor air pollution (Asthma+Lung UK): resources for people living with a lung condition, including information on the types of air pollution they might have in their home and how to manage allergies caused by indoor pollution at home.

Moisture in homes (UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB): resource outlining causes of moisture build up in homes and how to manage this. This resource has been developed for homeowners. However, information on how moisture builds up and day-to-day methods for managing this may still be valuable to tenants.

Video on how to reduce damp and mould aimed at homeowners but may still be of interest to individuals who are renting:

Watch the video on Moisture guidance for existing homeowners

Advocacy in mental health: resource from Mind explaining what advocacy is and how it can help tenants who require it. This resource includes advice on the type of advocacy that could be sought for tenants who require it to address housing problems.