Damp, mould and cold homes: risks for older tenants

Damp, mould and cold are dangerous for anyone, but older people face higher health risks than most. If you are an older tenant, or you are helping a family member who is elderly, this guide explains why these conditions are particularly serious and what you can do. Government guidance warns that the respiratory effects of damp and mould "can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death," and names older people among those most at risk.

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

Why older people are more at risk

As people age, the body becomes less able to regulate temperature and fight off infection. Older people often have underlying conditions, heart disease, respiratory illness, weakened immune systems, that make the effects of a damp, cold or mouldy home much worse.

Key risks include:

• Respiratory illness: mould releases spores that irritate and inflame the airways. Older people with existing lung conditions such as COPD, asthma or pulmonary fibrosis can deteriorate quickly.
• Cold-related illness: a cold home raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and hypothermia. The heart has to work harder to maintain body temperature.
• Falls and mobility problems: in cold conditions, muscles stiffen and coordination becomes less reliable. Condensation on floors can also cause slips.
• Infections: mould exposure increases the risk of chest infections and pneumonia, which are more dangerous in older people.
• Mental health: being trapped in a cold, damp home during winter, especially if mobility is limited, can worsen depression and anxiety.

What temperatures should a rented home be?

There is no single legal minimum temperature for private rented homes, but the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) identifies cold as a hazard when living rooms cannot reach at least 21°C and bedrooms cannot reach 18°C. A property that regularly cannot reach these levels may have a Category 1 HHSRS hazard, which councils are required to act on.

Is the landlord responsible for keeping the home warm enough?

Your landlord has a duty to:

• Keep the heating system in repair and working order (Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985)
• Keep the structure and exterior, including roof, walls and windows, in repair so that heat is not lost through structural failure
• Install working heating if none exists (though this depends on the tenancy terms)

Your landlord is not responsible for your energy bills, but they are responsible for ensuring the heating equipment works. If the boiler has broken and your landlord has not repaired it within a reasonable time, this is a breach of their duty.

What if the damp or cold is making an older tenant ill?

If the conditions in the home have caused or worsened a health problem, this can form part of a housing disrepair claim alongside any claim for repairs themselves.

Evidence that will support your case includes:

• Medical records showing diagnosis or worsening of a condition during the period of disrepair
• Letters from your doctor linking the condition to the home environment
• A surveyor's report confirming the presence and severity of damp, mould or cold

What about Awaab's Law?

From 27 October 2025, Awaab's Law requires social landlords (councils and housing associations) to investigate a significant damp and mould hazard within 10 working days, make an emergency hazard safe within 24 hours, send a written summary within 3 working days, and begin repairs within 5 working days (with a 12-week backstop for larger jobs). If you are a social tenant and your landlord has not met these timescales, you have stronger grounds for a complaint.

Private tenants are not covered by Awaab's Law directly, but the same principles apply to housing disrepair claims, the landlord knew, failed to act, and the tenant suffered as a result.

What can an older tenant do?

1. Report in writing: write to your landlord by email or letter. Keep a copy. If you need help with this, a family member, carer, or support worker can assist.
2. See your doctor: ask your doctor to note in your records how the home conditions are affecting your health. This creates a medical record that may be useful later.
3. Contact the council: if the landlord does not respond, ask the council's environmental health team to inspect. They can issue improvement notices or emergency remediation orders.
4. Check benefit entitlements: the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments, and Winter Fuel Payment (if eligible) can help with energy costs, but they do not replace the landlord's legal duty to repair.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

If an older tenant has reported damp, mould or heating failure and the landlord has not acted within a reasonable time, we may be able to help with a no win no fee 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)
• Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK)
• English Housing Survey (GOV.UK)