4 Types of Structural Damp in Rental Accommodation

Rising dampness is the ingress of moisture into the internals of a property at ground level. The damp will generally penetrate into the internal brickwork and rise through the pores, otherwise know as capillary action. A general effect of rising damp is a tide mark left on the plaster of the internal wall and this can cause rot to the flooring, salting of the walls and with the right condition can result in black mould. As with most dampness within a property, a stale musky smell is a pretty clear indicator that there is a degree of moisture and this could be related to rising damp.

Rising damp can be caused by a defective or breached DPC (damp proof course), debris in the cavities, blocked vents, and defective cavity wall insulation.

If you believe you have rising damp, it is important that your landlord is notified, as rising damp won't resolve itself, and a level of remedial work will be required. If your landlord has been notified and has failed to take appropriate action, we may be able to help.

A roof leak can be extremely hazardous to live with as a tenant, and should be addressed as an urgent priority by your landlord.

Generally, a roof leak is caused by either damaged or missing tiles, but can also be as a result of defective flashing, a damaged chimney stack, or damaged felt; especially if it is of a flat-roof construction. A damaged roof will generally cause rain-water to leak into the property and is hazardous as this can cause ceilings to collapse, moisture to mix with the electrics (especially lighting), and can cause rot to the timbers if left unresolved for long enough. Damaged roofing can also be a hazard to pedestrians with falling slates being potentially lethal. A damaged roof will also result in reduced thermal efficiency of a rental home, and can result in significant increases to your energy bill.

It is essential that a damaged roof is reported immediately to a landlord, and the landlord should ensure that sufficient works are planned as a priority. In many cases it may also be necessary to replace damaged loft lagging as this can retain water long after the leak has been repaired, and may have also lost much of it's insulating qualities. If you're landlord is aware of a leaky roof and hasn't made any plans to address this issues, we'd love to hear from you.

Blocked or damaged guttering can cause rainwater to backfill into the eves of a property, which in turn causes damp. Rotten wooden fascia and soffit boards can also cause this effect as well.

In many cases, this type of leak is fairy obvious to spot and will appear as a tide mark in the corner between the wall and the ceiling, however, things can get confusing if black mould appears in this vicinity and there is no damp. This is likely to related to condensation build up and is unrelated to the guttering and fascia issues.

Guttering should be cleared on a cyclical basis by your landlord so that this issue is prevented, however, if you're guttering is blocked or has foliage growing from it, we'd always advise reporting the issues.

If a window is damaged, whether this is through defective seals or a damaged frame, the likelihood is that it's likely to leak. In many cases, a damaged window will cause damp to penetrate into the surrounds of the window and into the bay itself. Even worse, if the property has cavity insulation, a leaky window frame could result in the insulation getting corrupted and the wall may remain damp long after the window has been replaced.

We would always recommend reporting any window repair issues to your landlord.

In nearly all cases, Section 11 of a tenancy agreement will stipulate that the landlord is responsible for structural repairs to your rental home. If you are suffering with any structural defect, this can often result in a leak, and it is your duty as a tenant to report this to your landlord so that they can make suitable arrangements to get the repair fixed.

If you have made a report, and your landlord has failed to follow this up in a satisfactory manner, and this has resulted in a leak, we'd love to help you if you rent from either the council or a housing association. Utilising our expertise in tenant law, The Tenant Help Service will conduct a free in-person assessment of the issues. We'll then put you in touch with our partners, who will look to arrange compulsory repairs to your property which your landlord must complete within a satisfactory timeframe. Furthermore, you may also be entitled to a level of financial compensation to cover loss or damage to your possessions, any associated ill health and for the general inconvenience.

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