Damp and mould

How we can help

Damp and mould is something everyone experiences at some point, and if it isn’t treated it can affect your health and wellbeing. We’re always here to help you if it happens in your home.

If you have damp and mould in your home, contact us and we’ll come and see what we can do to help.

Report damp and mould in your home

To contact our new specialist team, email dampandmould@southwark.gov.uk or phone 0207 525 2600 (choose option one, then option five).

Find more information about how we can help below.

Tell us when you have a problem

We’ve recently changed how we approach damp and mould and what we ask you to do when you notice it. Now we’re asking that you always tell us when you’re having a problem with damp and mould in your home.

When you report damp or mould

Once you've made contact with us, one of our officers will visit your home. We'll bring you a leaflet that explains what we can do to help. We’ll talk it through with you and inspect your home to find the cause of the problem. Before we leave, we’ll explain how we can help and when we can start.

How we will help

Normally this means washing down the mould in your home, but to solve the problem we may fit different types of fans or we may need to repair part of your block or property itself. Damp and mould can be caused by many things, so we’ll make sure what we do is individual to you and your home. We can also give you a paint pack with your choice of colour and painting equipment to help you freshen up the rooms affected once the problem is solved.

What causes damp and mould?

Damp and mould are normally caused by condensation, which is usually found in corners and north-facing walls, on or near windows and behind wardrobes and beds where air can’t circulate.

It can be made worse by everyday activities like cooking or drying clothes inside for example. We want you to enjoy your home so if this is the cause, we’ll work with you to fit equipment and look at the air flow in your home and how we can improve it.

Keeping an eye out for damp

When we visit anyone to talk about damp, we’ll bring along a hygrometer and some batteries for you to keep. It’s a small device you can place anywhere in your home to show you the current moisture levels and temperature. It has a colour dial on it, and when the arrow is blue it means you're at risk of mould forming. We’ll explain what to do in your home specifically if it goes into the blue.

After we visit

Once the works are completed and the problem is solved, we’ll call you about four weeks later to check that everything is alright. If you’re still having problems or have any questions, we’re happy to visit again.

Page last updated: 08 March 2024