Damp and mould: COPD and emphysema in a rented home

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung condition that makes breathing difficult. Emphysema is one of the main conditions that make up COPD. People with COPD are particularly vulnerable to the effects of damp, mould, and cold housing, and living in a poorly maintained rented home can seriously worsen their health. 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

How does damp and mould affect COPD?

COPD causes the airways and air sacs in the lungs to become damaged, making it harder to breathe. This damage is permanent. However, the day-to-day severity of COPD symptoms, breathlessness, coughing, wheezing, phlegm production, is strongly affected by environmental conditions, including what is in the air inside the home.

Damp and mouldy homes cause problems for people with COPD in several ways:

• Mould spores: When mould grows in a home, it releases spores into the air. Breathing these in irritates already damaged airways, triggering coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness.
• Respiratory infections: Damp homes are more likely to harbour bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory infections. For someone with COPD, even a mild respiratory infection can cause an acute exacerbation, a sudden, severe worsening of symptoms that often requires hospital treatment.
• Cold air: Cold and damp air is harder to breathe. People with COPD often find their symptoms significantly worse in cold weather or in cold, poorly heated rooms.
• Poor ventilation: A home with inadequate ventilation traps damp air, mould spores, and other irritants indoors, increasing the concentration of substances that trigger COPD symptoms.

Acute exacerbations and hospital admissions

An acute exacerbation of COPD is a sudden worsening of symptoms that goes beyond normal daily variation. Exacerbations can be life-threatening in people with severe COPD. They are one of the leading causes of emergency hospital admissions for people with COPD.

If you have had exacerbations or hospital admissions that coincide with or follow periods of cold or damp in your home, this may be evidence linking your housing conditions to your health events.

What evidence helps in a claim?

If you want to pursue a housing disrepair claim and have COPD, useful evidence includes:

• Medical records showing COPD diagnoses, exacerbations, and hospital admissions
• A letter from your respiratory consultant or your doctor confirming the link between your housing conditions and your symptoms
• Records of when the property was particularly cold or damp, broken boiler repair logs, complaints to the landlord, photographs of mould
• A log of your own symptoms, when they are worse and whether they improve when you are away from the property

What should I do?

1. Report the problem to your landlord in writing. Describe what is wrong and when you first noticed it. Mention that you have COPD if it is relevant.

2. Talk to your doctor or respiratory team. Ask them to note the link between your housing and your health in your records. Ask whether they can write a letter for use in evidence.

3. Photograph the problem. Take photos of any visible mould, damp patches, or evidence of poor heating. Date your photos if possible.

4. Follow up if the landlord does not act. Landlords are legally required to maintain the structure and installations in a rented property. Failure to do so is a breach of duty.

Can I make a housing disrepair claim?

Yes. If your landlord has been told about the disrepair and has not fixed it, and this has affected your health and quality of life, you may have a housing disrepair claim. The impact of disrepair on someone with a serious underlying condition like COPD is taken into account when compensation is assessed.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

If you have COPD and live in a privately rented home with damp, mould, or cold that your landlord has not fixed, call us.

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)
• English Housing Survey (GOV.UK)

Related articles

• How damp and mould affect your health