Damp and mould in blocks of flats: what resident directors and freeholders should do this winter
From late October, damp and mould reports start to arrive in most blocks. The heating goes on, windows stay shut, washing dries indoors, and any weakness in the building's fabric is tested by wind-driven rain. For resident directors and freeholders, the challenge is twofold: working out what is causing the problem, and working out whose problem it is to fix.
Handled well, a damp report is a routine repair. Handled badly, it becomes a long-running dispute between neighbours, the board and the leaseholder, while residents' health and the building's fabric suffer in the meantime.
Start with the cause, not the symptom
Mould on a bedroom wall can come from several very different sources. Each points to a different fix, and often to a different party responsible.
Condensation: moisture from cooking, bathing and drying clothes settling on cold surfaces. It is usually worst in corners, behind furniture and around windows, and tends to be seasonal.
Penetrating damp: water getting in from outside through defective roofs, gutters, downpipes, pointing, render, window seals or balconies. It often appears after heavy rain and is usually localised.
Leaks: escapes of water from pipes, tanks or appliances, often from the flat above.
Ground-floor damp: moisture from the ground in lower flats, basements and bin or bike stores, often linked to a bridged damp-proof course or raised external ground levels.
A clear diagnosis early saves money. Treating condensation as a building defect wastes the service charge; treating a failed gutter as a lifestyle issue leaves the defect getting worse and damages trust with residents.
Who is responsible? Check the lease
Responsibility almost always comes back to the lease and where the boundary of each flat (the demise) is drawn. As a general pattern:
The structure, roof, external walls, main drains and common parts usually fall to the landlord or management company, with the cost recovered through the service charge.
Internal plaster, and pipes serving only one flat, are often the leaseholder's responsibility. Windows vary a great deal from lease to lease.
A leak from one flat into another is usually a matter between the two leaseholders and their insurers in the first instance, unless the source is a shared pipe or part of the structure.
Before committing service charge money, or telling a leaseholder it is their problem, check the specific lease wording. Where the lease is unclear, take advice rather than guessing.
Set up a simple process for reports
Most disputes come from slow or inconsistent handling, not from the repair itself. A straightforward process helps:
Log every report with the date, flat, location and photographs.
Acknowledge it quickly and tell the resident what happens next, and when.
Inspect promptly. Where water ingress is possible, check the outside of the building and the flat above as well as the affected room.
Record the likely cause and who is responsible under the lease.
Agree the action, the owner and the timescale, and confirm it in writing.
Follow up after the work to check the problem has not returned.
This gives the board a clear audit trail if a report later turns into a complaint, an insurance claim or a dispute.
Reduce the risk before it starts
Some of the most effective measures are low-cost and sit firmly within the board's control:
Keep gutters, hoppers and downpipes clear, especially after leaf fall.
Check roofs, flashings and balcony drainage for blockages and missing tiles.
Make sure communal areas, bin stores and basements are ventilated, and that vents have not been blocked.
Fix communal heating faults quickly, as cold flats are more prone to condensation.
Share practical guidance with residents on ventilation, extractor fans and drying clothes, written as help rather than blame.
Where reports cluster in one part of the building, or keep returning after treatment, it is worth commissioning an independent damp survey rather than repeating the same short-term fix.
Health, insurance and records
Damp and mould are not only a maintenance issue. They can affect residents' health, particularly children, older people and anyone with a respiratory condition, and they can complicate insurance claims and future sales. Taking reports seriously, acting promptly and keeping good records protects residents, the board and the value of the building.
How Temphis can help
We help resident directors, RTM companies and freeholders run a clear, consistent process for repairs and reports, from first logging through inspection, contractor oversight and follow-up, with records the board can rely on. If damp and mould reports are becoming a recurring headache in your block, contact the Temphis team to talk about how we can support you and your building.