Private landlord fined £10k over damp flat

A council has fined a private landlord £10,250 for neglecting damp in a flat.

Housing officers were called to a privately rented one-bed flat in Barrow Island in May however, the landlord "took no meaningful action" to tackle mould despite multiple warnings, Westmorland and Furness Council said.

A total of 1.3 million dwellings in England - 5% of the total - had damp problems in one or more rooms in 2023-4, according to government figures released last year.

The council said the landlord had started to address the problem and it would closely monitor the situation.

Housing officers issued the fine to the Warrington-based landlord for "failing to comply with statutory housing requirements to keep the home safe, healthy, and fit to live in".

Following an inspection in May, officers served a hazard awareness notice, requesting the landlord to commission a damp survey.

The landlord did not carry out the works so the council said it escalated its action, serving a formal notice instructing the landlord to complete the investigations and improvements by 31 July.

Officers found that the landlord "took no meaningful action within the agreed compliance period".

The council described it as "ongoing neglect" and despite further visits, the issues remained unsolved.

The authority encouraged residents worried about the condition of a privately rented property to report it.

Mould is a microscopic fungus that grows in damp places.

Mould spores are found everywhere, and are released in their thousands into the atmosphere.

Signs of mould at home include fuzzy black, white or green patches on the walls, and a damp and musty smell.

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