Keeping condensation at bay

If you have an older, protected tenancy, the repair rules mentioned at the end can work differently. See Repairs if you're a protected tenant.

We all make moisture at home just by cooking, showering, boiling the kettle and even breathing. The Energy Saving Trust says a household can produce up to 100 litres a week. When that moist air meets a cold surface, such as a window, it forms condensation. A little on a cold morning is normal and nothing to worry about if it clears quickly. These habits help keep it that way.

Let the moisture out

• Put lids on pans, and run the cooker extractor while cooking and for at least 15 minutes afterwards.
• Run the bathroom fan for at least 15 minutes after a bath or shower. No fan? Open the window instead.
• Keep trickle vents (the small slotted vents in many window frames) open and clear.
• Open windows for at least five minutes several times a day, longer if you can.
• Wipe down windows and shower walls with a towel or squeegee.
• Dry washing outside when the weather allows. A dehumidifier can help when it does not.

Keep air moving and rooms warm

• Leave a gap between furniture and walls so air can circulate.
• Leave internal doors open where you can.
• Rooms left cold are more prone to damp, so warm them up from time to time.

All of these tips come from the Energy Saving Trust.

When it is more than condensation

Damp can also come from a leak, a problem with the roof or guttering, or a failed damp-proof course. Those are faults, and they are ours to fix. By law your home must be fit to live in (Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 9A), and freedom from damp is one of the matters used to judge that (section 10).

Please tell us, with a photo if you can, if you see:

• mould that keeps coming back
• a damp patch or tidemark on a wall
• peeling paint or wallpaper, or crumbling plaster
• a musty smell that will not go away

Government guidance tells landlords to tackle the underlying cause of damp and mould, and says advice about everyday habits must never be a substitute for that. We agree. If you are worried about your health, speak to a healthcare professional such as your GP.

Find out more

• How to get rid of damp (Energy Saving Trust)
• Private renting: repairs and mould (gov.uk)
• Damp and mould: understanding and addressing the health risks (gov.uk)