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The Singing Ringing Tree on the moor above Burnley, with the town in the valley below.
The Singing Ringing Tree

Damp and mould help inBurnley

Over four in ten Burnley homes were built before 1919. Cold solid walls, condensation and raised paths, and who to call from Calico to the council.

Including Padiham, Worsthorne, Cliviger, Hapton and Briercliffe

Book a damp surveyWho can help you

Who can help you in Burnley

Who puts damp right depends on whether you rent or own. Choose your situation.

I rent privately

Your landlord has to fix damp caused by disrepair, such as leaks, broken gutters or failed pointing. Since 1 May 2026 the Renters' Rights Act has ended no-fault evictions, so asking for a repair shouldn't put your home at risk.

Tell your landlord or letting agent about the damp in writing, by email, letter or text, and add photos. Keep a copy of what you send.

Give them a reasonable time to reply and arrange the work. Chase them once if you hear nothing.

If the repair still isn't done, contact Burnley Council using its online disrepair form. They can inspect the home and make the landlord put it right.

I rent from the council or a housing association

If you rent from the council or a housing association, your landlord has to deal with damp and mould, and the law now sets deadlines for it.

Report the damp or mould to Calico Homes, which runs most of the homes once owned by the council, or your own housing association and ask for a reference number. Photos help.

Under Awaab's Law your landlord must look into significant damp and mould within 10 working days, and start any safety work within 5 working days after that. Emergency hazards are faster.

If it isn't put right, use your landlord's complaints process. If that doesn't work, you can go to the Housing Ombudsman.

I own my home

Damp in a home you own is yours to sort out, so the first job is finding the real cause. A treatment sold before anyone has found the cause is often money wasted.

Check the simple things first: gutters and downpipes, ground levels against the walls, blocked airbricks, and whether rooms get enough heat and air.

If the cause still isn't clear, get an independent damp survey before paying for any treatment. Damp proofing a wall that has a leak or condensation problem won't fix it.

If heating costs are part of the problem, check what help you could get with insulation and heating.

A row of Lancashire red-brick terraced houses by a canal and mill chimney, with damp around a half-blocked airbrick.
Typical homes in Burnley, drawn for this guide.

Homes in Burnley and the damp they get

Burnley grew fast with the cotton mills, and its terraces still make up a big share of its homes. More than four in ten homes in the borough were built before 1919, over twice the share across England. Most are brick or stone terraces with solid walls, front doors on the street and small yards behind.

Solid walls are colder than cavity walls, so condensation forms on them more easily, especially behind wardrobes and in corners. Mould behind wardrobes and sofas is one of the most common things people in older terraces ask about. Keeping rooms warm enough is part of the answer, and that is harder when bills are high.

Weather, ground and water in Burnley

Burnley sits under the moors, and the wind and rain off them hit exposed gable ends hard. Many terraces have had their pavements and yards raised over the years, which can bring the ground up above the damp course. Blocked airbricks and damp timber floors is a common result in houses with suspended floors.

What to check first

Look along the bottom of the front and back walls. If the pavement, yard or path is close to or above the inside floor level, or the airbricks are covered, that is the first thing to deal with.

Kinds of home you will find here

Burnley in numbers

Local help in Burnley

Free, independent organisations that can help with housing problems, money and keeping warm. They aren't connected to Spore Shield.

Advice and rights

Community support

Local details checked October 2026.

Questions people in Burnley ask

Why is there mould behind my wardrobe in my terrace?

Solid outside walls are cold, and furniture pushed against them stops warm air reaching the surface. Moist air condenses there and mould grows. Moving furniture a few inches away from the wall and keeping the room steadily warm usually helps.

Can I afford to heat an old Burnley terrace properly?

Solid-walled homes lose more heat, and that does drive condensation. Check what help you could get with insulation and heating through GOV.UK's energy advice service, and ask Citizens Advice East Lancashire about bills and grants.

I rent from Calico Homes and have black mould. What do I do?

Report it to Calico Homes on 01282 686300. As a housing association it must investigate significant damp and mould under Awaab's Law, and if it doesn't, you can complain and then go to the Housing Ombudsman.

Advice for homes here

What we do in Burnley

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