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Damp and mould help inLeeds

From back-to-back terraces to flats in old mills, what causes damp and mould in Leeds homes and where tenants can get repairs done.

Including Headingley, Horsforth, Armley, Chapeltown, Morley, Pudsey, Otley and Wetherby

Book a damp surveyWho can help you

Who can help you in Leeds

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 about 14 days to reply and arrange the work. Chase them once if you hear nothing.

If the repair still isn't done, contact Leeds City Council's Private Rented Housing team. 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 Leeds City Council, or the housing association that runs your home 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 red-brick Leeds back-to-back terraced houses, with a damp streak on the brickwork under a cracked gutter joint.
Typical homes in Leeds, drawn for this guide.

Homes in Leeds and the damp they get

Leeds still has thousands of back-to-back terraces, mostly in Holbeck, Harehills, Burley and Armley. They share walls on three sides, so each house has one outside wall and very little through air. That makes them prone to condensation, especially in the back bedroom, and it is worth reading about why black mould keeps coming back on bedroom walls before blaming the walls themselves.

Around the city centre and along the Aire, old mills and warehouses have been turned into flats. Thick brick walls, new insulation and small window openings can leave cold corners where mould starts. Out in Horsforth, Pudsey and Wetherby there are more 1930s semis and post-war estates, where cavity walls, insulation and blocked airbricks are the usual suspects.

Weather, ground and water in Leeds

Most of Leeds is built on sloping ground, so water running off a hill can sit against the back wall of a terrace. Many older houses also have gutters and downpipes that have been patched for decades. A damp patch high on a wall that gets worse after rain usually points to leaking gutters and downpipes rather than rising damp.

What to check first

Look at when the damp appears. Wet windows every morning and mould in corners point to condensation. A patch that grows after heavy rain points to water getting in from outside. If you can't tell, a damp survey finds the cause before anyone sells you a treatment.

Kinds of home you will find here

Leeds in numbers

Local help in Leeds

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

Advice and rights

Tenants

Energy and warmth

Local details checked October 2026.

Questions people in Leeds ask

Do back-to-back houses get more damp than other terraces?

They tend to get more condensation, because each house has only one outside wall and air can't pass through. That isn't the same as the walls being wet from outside. Good extractor fans, steady low heat and drying washing outdoors or with a dehumidifier make a big difference.

My Leeds landlord says the mould is my fault. What can I do?

Condensation can come from how a home is used, but it is often made worse by things the landlord is responsible for, such as broken fans, poor heating or cold walls. Report it in writing, and if it isn't dealt with, the council's Private Rented Housing team can inspect.

Is rising damp common in Leeds?

True rising damp is less common than people think. In Leeds terraces, damp low on walls is more often caused by raised paths, leaking downpipes or condensation behind furniture. A survey that checks these first saves money on injections you may not need.

Advice for homes here

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