My child has been diagnosed with asthma: can I claim if mould caused it?

A diagnosis of asthma in a child is frightening. If you have been living with damp or mould in your rented home, you may suspect a link, and you may be right to. Damp and mould are well-established risk factors for respiratory conditions, including asthma, in children. This gives you a strong basis for a housing disrepair claim. Government guidance warns that the respiratory effects of damp and mould "can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death," and names children among those most at risk.

The short answer

Yes. If your child has been diagnosed with asthma or a respiratory condition and your home has had damp or mould that your landlord failed to address, you may be able to claim compensation. The key is showing that the landlord knew about the problem and did not act. Medical evidence connecting the asthma to the housing conditions significantly strengthens the claim.

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

The science: why mould matters for children's lungs

Mould produces spores and mycotoxins that, when inhaled over time, can damage the respiratory system. Children's lungs are still developing, making them more vulnerable than adults. The relationship between indoor damp and mould and childhood asthma is recognised in medical research and by public health bodies.

This scientific consensus means that courts and legal proceedings are familiar with the link. You do not need to prove a unique causal mechanism from scratch.

What your doctor needs to say

A letter from your child's doctor, paediatrician, or respiratory specialist that includes the following will significantly strengthen a claim:

• confirmation of the asthma diagnosis and the date it was made
• a statement that the doctor was made aware of the mould or damp conditions in the home
• the doctor's view that the housing conditions may have contributed to, or worsened, the asthma

The letter does not need to say the mould definitely caused the asthma, medical professionals are rightly careful about certainty. A statement that the housing conditions are "a likely contributing factor" or "may have worsened respiratory symptoms" is enough to be powerful evidence.

What else you need to document

Photographs of the mould, dated, showing the extent and location. Mould in a bedroom where a child sleeps is particularly significant.

Written records of every time you reported the problem to your landlord, and their responses or lack of response.

Medical records, the dates of every asthma-related appointment, prescription, emergency visit or hospital stay during the period of disrepair. A pattern of deteriorating symptoms while the mould remained unaddressed is important.

School records, if your child's attendance was affected by their asthma, school absence records can support the claim.

What you can claim for

A housing disrepair claim in this situation can include:

• General damages, compensation for the period you and your family lived with the disrepair
• Personal injury for your child, for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by the respiratory condition
• Special damages, out-of-pocket costs such as medication, medical appointments, and any items damaged by the mould

The personal injury element, where a child's health has been affected, can be substantial. Courts treat the injury to a child seriously.

Awaab's Law and social tenants

If you rent from a council or housing association, Awaab's Law now requires your landlord to investigate reports of damp and mould within 10 working days and begin repairs within 5 working days (with a 12-week backstop for larger jobs). Awaab Ishak, whose death prompted this law, was a two-year-old who died from a respiratory condition caused by mould in his social housing flat. The law is directly aimed at preventing exactly the situation you may be describing.

What to do now

If you have not already, report the damp or mould to your landlord in writing today and ask for a written repair timetable. Take your child to your doctor and ask for a letter. Start your evidence file: photographs, all correspondence, all medical records.

Then call us.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

If your child has been diagnosed with asthma or a respiratory condition and you believe mould in your rented home contributed to it, 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)
• Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK)
• English Housing Survey (GOV.UK)

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