Damp and Mould
Unresolved and untreated damp may cause mould growth which can be harmful to your health and your families' health.
The leading cause of damp is condensation. This is a much more common issue in recent years due to homes being well insulated which is causing little way for the water vapour to escape. There are steps you can take to help enable the vapour to escape, please read our condensation advice as this may resolve the issue.
If you are a DDC Tenant, please read our specific advice for tenants. You can also:
Causes of damp
There are 3 causes of damp; Condensation, Penetrating Damp and Rising Damp.
Condensation is the leading cause of damp, but thankfully it can be the easiest and most cost effective to resolve.
Damp caused by condensation can affect any room of your home, but is more likely in rooms where you create more water vapour from things like showering, cooking, sleeping or just living, you can look for tale tell signs like water droplets on windows and a humid feeling in the air.
Penetrating Damp
Penetrating damp is when water enters the property from outside, this can be caused by:
- a leaky roof
- faulty guttering
- cracks in external walls
- internal leaks or leaks from an upstairs neighbour (if in a flat)
- plumbing problems
Penetrating damp is resolved by finding and fixing the cause of issue.
Rising Damp
Rising damp is when groundwater soaks up into the bricks or concrete of the building. It can affect basements and ground floor rooms.
This can be remedied by installing a damp proof course but might sometimes involve subcontracots, specialists and multiple repairs .
How we can help?
Do you own your own home or rent from a private landlord?
Read our tips about how to deal with damp and mould.
If you rent your property, it is your landlord's responsibility to maintain and keep your property to a livable standard.
Damp and condensation is an important issue not to be ignored, as your landlord we must be aware if the issue is:
- caused by a repair issue
- or is affecting your health and safety
Report Damp in your Dover District Council Property
If you are a tenant, you can report damp issues directly to us using our online form.
Report here
*for DDC tenants only