Types of damp
Four main types of damp can affect homes andit's important to work out which one is affecting your home, so you can work out how to deal with it.
Condensation damp
This is the most common form of damp, and it's something that you can resolve through easy fixes - find out more.
It is caused by moist air cooling on cold surfaces (windows, walls, behind furniture), especially in cold weather. Activities like cooking, washing and indoor drying worsen it and can lead to black mould growth.
Addressing the causes of condensation usually solves the mould problem.
Black mould is mostly as a result of condensation dampness - it is rarely seen on areas of penetrating damp and areas affected by defective plumbing.
Rising damp
Rising damp is caused by moisture moving up from the ground, usually due to a damaged or missing damp-proof course (DPC). It mostly affects older buildings and is usually limited to the lower parts of ground floor walls (up to about 1 metre). You’ll often see a tide mark or white salts on the wall. It’s not an issue in upper-floor flats.
In most cases, if you don't own your home, your landlord is responsible for fixing rising damp, especially if it’s due to a faulty DPC - this falls under their duty to keep the structure of the home in good repair. However, if there’s no DPC at all, they might not be required to install one, as that could count as an improvement rather than a repair.
Penetrating damp
Penetrating damp happens when water gets into your home from the outside, often due to things like:
- Leaking roofs or gutters
- Cracked walls
- Broken pipes or drains
- Rotten window or door frames
In most cases, if you don't own your home, your landlord is responsible for fixing the cause, as they must keep the structure and exterior of your home in good repair.
Construction damp
Construction damp is caused by faults in a building’s design - for example, if a rising water table leads to damp in a basement due to poor construction.
Responsibility for fixing it depends on the impact. If the issue doesn’t damage the structure or exterior of the building, your landlord may not be required to fix it. But if the damp leads to damage (like crumbling plaster or damp walls), it likely becomes your landlord’s responsibility.