Sick building syndrome and housing disrepair: what tenants need to know

If you regularly feel unwell at home, headaches, fatigue, eye or throat irritation, breathing problems, but your symptoms improve when you leave the property, this pattern may be linked to the condition of your home. This article explains what sick building syndrome is, how it can relate to housing disrepair, and what you can do.

What is sick building syndrome?

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a term used to describe a cluster of symptoms experienced by occupants of a building that appear to be linked to time spent in the building, without a clearly identified specific cause. Common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Eye, nose, or throat irritation
• Dry or itchy skin
• Fatigue and difficulty concentrating
• Sensitivity to odours
• Nausea

Unlike a clearly identified illness with a single cause, SBS is a pattern, symptoms occur while in the building and resolve when the person leaves.

How can housing disrepair cause these symptoms?

Various defects in a rented home can cause or contribute to the kinds of symptoms associated with sick building syndrome:

Damp and mould: damp conditions promote the growth of mould spores, some of which (particularly Stachybotrys chartarum, sometimes called "black mould") release mycotoxins and allergens. These can cause respiratory irritation, headaches, fatigue, and allergic reactions. Tenants with asthma or other respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable.

Poor ventilation: inadequate ventilation (blocked extractor fans, non-working air vents, sealed windows that cannot be opened) leads to a build-up of carbon dioxide, cooking fumes, and other indoor pollutants. In poorly ventilated homes, concentrations of airborne irritants rise.

Gas appliances: poorly maintained or improperly ventilated gas appliances can emit carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other combustion products. These can cause headaches, dizziness, and in severe cases life-threatening poisoning. Always fit a carbon monoxide detector.

Dampness and dust mite proliferation: damp environments promote dust mites, whose droppings are a major trigger for asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): some building materials, adhesives, and paints emit VOCs that can irritate airways and cause headaches, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.

Sewage smells or drain issues: defective drainage or broken sealed connections can allow sewer gas (including hydrogen sulphide) to enter the property. This produces headaches, nausea, and eye irritation.

Is my landlord responsible?

If the symptoms are linked to a defect in the property, defective ventilation, mould arising from penetrating or rising damp, a broken boiler, defective drainage, the landlord has a duty to repair that defect under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The landlord is responsible for the cause, not for giving the symptoms a label.

Where the disrepair has caused a health impact, that impact is part of the damages in a disrepair claim. Medical evidence linking your symptoms to the property conditions strengthens the claim significantly.

What should I do?

1. See your doctor and describe your symptoms and when they occur. Ask your doctor to note the possible environmental trigger in your records. A letter from your doctor is valuable evidence.
2. Fit a carbon monoxide detector if there is any possibility of CO exposure from gas appliances.
3. Report all suspected defects to your landlord in writing, poor ventilation, damp, broken seals, drain smells, and so on.
4. Keep a diary of your symptoms noting dates, how severe they were, and whether they improved when you were away from the home.
5. Photograph any visible mould or dampness and keep dated records.

Can I make a disrepair claim?

Yes, if the symptoms are linked to a defect in the property that your landlord failed to repair after being given notice. A housing disrepair claim can cover:

• Damages for diminution of your enjoyment of the property
• Compensation for the health impact, assessed by reference to your doctor's records and, where appropriate, a medical expert report
• Special damages (additional costs incurred)

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

If you believe your health symptoms are linked to disrepair in your rented home and your landlord has not addressed the underlying defects, 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

• Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) guidance (GOV.UK)