How do I report damp to the council if my landlord will not act?

If your landlord has not dealt with damp you have reported, you can contact your local council about the condition of a privately rented home. Start by putting the problem to your landlord in writing and keeping a copy, then give the council a clear account of what has happened and how the landlord responded. If the council is your landlord, use its housing provider complaints process instead; a council cannot take housing enforcement action against itself.

Report the damp to your landlord first

Describe which rooms are affected, whether the problem is spreading and whether you have reported it before. Mention any outstanding repair that appears connected, such as water getting in through the building, without claiming to have diagnosed the cause. The government tenant guide recommends asking for the problem to be fixed in writing where possible, including by email or text, and keeping that record. If you do not know how to contact the landlord, the guide says you can tell the council.

Keep photographs that show the area and changes, along with copies of messages and replies. Note when you first reported the problem and any visits or work that followed. These details let the council see both the condition you are describing and the response so far. A report of damp is a request for help with a condition in the home; if the landlord handles that request poorly, there is also a separate formal complaint route for social housing tenants.

Choose the route that fits your tenancy

For a private tenancy, contact your own local council's housing or environmental health team if the landlord has not resolved the problem within a reasonable time. Government guidance says the landlord or agent should acknowledge the issue, respond promptly and explain what action will be taken. The council can review your report and decide whether an inspection or other step is needed. A complaint does not automatically produce an immediate visit or enforcement notice.

If you rent from a housing association, you can also tell the local council about serious housing conditions, but use your housing provider's complaint procedure if you are unhappy with its response. If the local council itself is your landlord, complain to it as your housing provider. The council cannot enforce against itself in the way it may enforce against another landlord. Once a social landlord's complaint procedure has been followed, the Housing Ombudsman may investigate an unresolved complaint. Shelter and Citizens Advice can help you understand which route applies to your tenancy and give legal help.

What to include when you contact the council

Give enough detail for a council officer to understand the condition and decide what to do next. You do not need to know the technical name of the damp. Describe what you can see, where it is and how it has changed. Explain what you asked the landlord to do and what happened after that. If you have photographs or a record of messages, say so. Respond to any follow-up questions; the council uses that information to assess the report and whether to inspect.

The council may begin by email or telephone and may decide to inspect later. Government guidance says the lack of an immediate home visit does not mean the council will take no action. If it does inspect a flat, an officer may also need to see communal parts. The council can consider the whole property, not just the patch you mentioned, before deciding how to respond. Ask what the next step is and keep a note of any update.

Timeframes and social housing complaints

There is no single wait that fits every damp report. The government tenant guide says landlords should repair problems in a reasonable amount of time, depending on what the problem is and how serious it is. Awaab's Law came into force for social housing in October 2025. The Housing Ombudsman's guide says social landlords must investigate significant damp and mould hazards within 10 working days and make safe within 5 working days. Those are social housing hazard requirements, not a general deadline for every private rental complaint to a council.

For a complaint about a social landlord's handling, the Housing Ombudsman says the landlord's formal process comes first. Its guide sets complaint response times and says it generally needs the landlord's final response before investigating. If the landlord does not follow its complaints procedure, the Ombudsman says it can help you get a response. This is a different path from asking the council to assess a privately rented home's condition.

Leeds, Bradford and Lancashire: find your own council

A tenant in Leeds or Bradford should approach their own metropolitan council; a tenant in Lancashire should approach the council responsible for their district. Look for its housing conditions, private rented housing or environmental health service. Names and reporting methods vary, so use the council for the address of the home rather than assuming a neighbouring council covers it. Give the same clear record of damp, the landlord's response and any changes you have noticed.

If you are unsure what happens next

Ask the council or housing provider to explain its next step and keep that answer with your report. If the cause of damp remains disputed, an independent, suitably qualified damp surveyor may help establish it. Shelter and Citizens Advice can explain tenancy rights and complaint options for your circumstances. The most useful first move is a clear written report: it gives the landlord a chance to act and gives the next organisation a reliable starting point if the problem continues.

This page gives general information, not legal or medical advice. For your own situation, use the organisations listed under "Where this comes from" at the foot of the page.