Black mould removal: advice for tenants

Direct answer

You can safely clean small areas of black mould yourself with the right protection, but cleaning only treats the symptom. If the mould keeps coming back, the cause is usually damp or poor ventilation that your landlord must fix. Report it in writing, keep photos, and do not let cleaning it yourself stop you asking your landlord to deal with the cause.

Black mould in a rented home is a health hazard as well as a disrepair issue. If your home has black mould, you need to understand what you can safely do yourself, what is the landlord's responsibility, and how to protect your health in the meantime. This guide gives practical, safe advice. Government guidance warns that the respiratory effects of damp and mould "can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death."

Key facts

• Official guidance from the UK Health Security Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care links damp and mould in homes in England to around 5,000 cases of asthma and 8,500 lower respiratory infections among children and adults. Health risks of damp and mould, GOV.UK
• The 2024 to 2025 English Housing Survey found about 5% of homes in England, around 1.4 million, had a problem with damp, most common in privately rented homes (10%). English Housing Survey 2024-25, GOV.UK

Is it safe to clean black mould yourself?

Small patches of black mould in accessible areas, such as around a window frame or on a small section of wall, can generally be cleaned by a tenant using appropriate products. This is a short-term measure to protect your health, not a permanent fix if the underlying cause has not been addressed.

To clean mould safely:

• Wear rubber gloves and a face mask (ideally an FFP2 or better respirator, not just a dust mask)
• Open windows for ventilation before starting
• Use a proprietary mould cleaner or a dilute bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) on non-porous surfaces
• Do not dry-brush mould, this releases spores into the air. Wipe damp, then treat
• Wash affected clothes or soft furnishings at as high a temperature as they will allow
• Bag and bin any materials (cloths, sponges) used to clean mould

Do not clean extensive mould or mould in concealed spaces (inside walls, under floorboards) yourself. This is specialist work.

Should I tell my landlord before I clean the mould?

You should report the mould to your landlord in writing regardless of whether you clean it yourself. Reporting it creates the legal record that triggers the landlord's duty to act. If you clean the mould without reporting it, you lose the record of when the problem started and may make it harder to establish a disrepair claim later.

Report first, clean second.

What is the landlord responsible for?

Cleaning mould is not a substitute for fixing the cause. If the mould is caused by:

• Rising or penetrating damp from structural failings
• A leaking roof, pipe, or guttering
• Condensation made worse or caused by poor ventilation or inadequate heating in the property

...then the landlord must fix the underlying cause, not just the surface mould. A landlord who simply bleaches mould without addressing why it keeps returning has not met their repair obligation.

What if the mould keeps coming back?

If you have cleaned the mould and it keeps returning, this is a sign that the underlying cause has not been addressed. Report the recurrence to your landlord in writing, with photographs, stating that cleaning alone is not resolving the problem and that the cause needs to be investigated and fixed.

What about my belongings?

Mould can damage furniture, clothes, books, and other belongings. If the mould has been allowed to grow because of a landlord's failure to repair, you may be able to claim for damaged belongings as part of a housing disrepair claim. Photograph damaged items and note what they cost to replace.

Should I use a dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier can reduce humidity levels and help control condensation. However, running a dehumidifier should not be necessary in a properly heated and ventilated home. If you need one to keep mould at bay, this points to a problem with the property, inadequate ventilation or heating, that the landlord should address.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

If your landlord has failed to address the cause of black mould in your rented home, you may have a housing disrepair claim.

Call us on 0800 030 4669. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.

Sources

• Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home (GOV.UK)
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)

Related articles

• How to report disrepair to your landlord