Damp and mould policy

At Cross Keys Homes we believe no one should live with damp and mould. We know the terrible effects that a damp home can have on residents’ mental and physical health and we will do all we can to eliminate it from our homes.

Condensation, damp and mould can be a common problem, especially in the winter months. We are committed to listening to your concerns, identifying the causes of damp and mould in your home and working with you to resolve the problem.

In some circumstances, damp and mould can cause significant risks. We want to be able to identify these straight away and respond within set timescales including those set out in Awaab’s Law. To enable this all reports of damp and mould must be reported to us in one of these ways:

• Call us, 24/7, on: 01733 385000
• Chat to us on Live Chat on the CKH website (office hours only).
• Speak to us in person at CKH Customer Central.
• Talk to your Scheme/Temporary Manager, if you live in Retirement Housing or Temporary Accommodation.

If you want to find out in more detail how we will support you, please keep reading. This policy will outline the approach we will take to ensure that everyone is listened to and the actions we will take to tackle damp and mould in our properties.

The policy relates to all rented properties and communal areas managed by CKH.

Our commitment to you

When we receive a report of damp or mould we will: 

• Ask a series of questions to gain a better understanding of the problem and your individual circumstances. This will help us identify the amount of the damp and mould present (sever, moderate or slight) the severity/impact of the problem (emergency, significant or routine) and any immediate risks. 
• Use all the available information to decide if the damp and mould is an Emergency Hazard, Significant Hazard or Routine. 
• Record accurate details of the damp and mould, where it has occurred and your circumstances.
• Tell you the severity assigned so you know what to expect.
• Provide you with alternative accommodation if at any stage, there is a risk of harm to you or anyone else in your home and we cannot make your home safe. 
• Respond to all reports according to the severity assigned, you must allow us access to meet these timescales, which means someone over the age of 18 must be at home.

• • Emergency cases will be investigated and made safe within 24 hours of being reported. This could include cleaning and removing the mould whilst we undertake the investigation.
  • Our investigation will determine if further work is required.
  • The nature of the works will determine how long this will take, if we are not able to complete the further work within three working days (following the conclusion of the investigation), we will provide you with a written report outlining the investigation findings and the next steps, so you understand what to expect.
  • We will aim to start this work within 5 working days following the conclusion of the investigation. If specialist equipment or parts are required and it will take longer than 5 working days, we will tell you when we expect to start work.
  • We will visit you three months after you first reported the problem to ensure the work was successful.

•  

• • Significant cases will be investigated with 10 working days of being reported. This could include cleaning and removing the mould whilst we undertake the investigation.
  • Our investigation will determine what further work is required.
  • The nature of the works will determine how long this will take, if we are not able to complete the further work within three working days (following the conclusion of the investigation), we will provide you with a written report outlining the investigation findings and the next steps, so you understand what to expect.
  • We will aim to start this work within 5 working days following the conclusion of the investigation. If specialist equipment or parts are required and it will take longer than 5 working days we will tell you when we expect to start work.
  • We will visit you three months after you first reported the problem to ensure the work was successful.

•  

• • Routine Repairs will be resolved within 28 calendar days.
    
    

• At all times we will work with you to agree appropriate timescales, appointments and next steps to complete the work. We will aim to work within these timescales, but if we require scaffolding, are reliant on another party to complete the work or the cause of damp or mould is caused by a resident or property we do not manage we will always keep you informed and aim to work as quickly as possible. We will always start work within 12 weeks once the investigation is complete. 
• Ensure we investigate all potential causes of damp and mould in your home, including looking at neighbouring properties, if necessary.
• Communicate with you throughout the process and record all contacts. 

Please note:

If there is minimal damp and mould, and it does not cause any hazard we will provide a self-help kit to remove the mould. If you cannot clean the mould yourself we may arrange for our Damp and Mould Cleaning Team to attend.

If the damp and mould is a result of deliberate damage, or a breach of tenancy i.e. using fixtures and fittings inappropriately (for example blocking ventilation fans), or due to alterations made (for example changing your kitchen or bathroom) without consent, these timescales do not apply. We will work with you to make sure your home is safe and agree how to support you. We may, depending on the outcome of our investigation, charge you for any works we undertake.

 

How we will work to prevent damp and mould from occurring

We will take a preventative approach by regularly improving our homes, training our staff, using data analysis, and working closely with residents to ensure that they are aware of the causes of damp and mould and how it can be avoided.

We will visit all our residents annually to conduct a annual tenancy visit, an element of which will be to discuss any damp and mould issues. 

Every year we will carry out a stock condition survey of 20% of our homes. This will assess the condition of the home and the major components, ie kitchens, boilers, bathrooms and windows. We will also look for any emerging problems with damp and mould.

We will promote information about how to tackle damp and mould through our resident engagement and other channels of information.

We will help to tackle fuel poverty through advice, information and guidance and signpost to external agencies.

We will keep a comprehensive record of all reports of the action we have taken (including complaints and service requests) and use that data to identify trends and those areas where we can improve our approach.

We will ensure that we make the best use of all contacts with our residents to check proactively for any occurrence of damp and mould that has not been reported to us.

We will ensure that empty homes are thoroughly inspected and are in a good state of repair and free of damp and mould before re-letting them.

Our strategy for delivering net zero carbon homes considers and plans for how we can identify and respond to any unintended consequences around damp and mould.

Your responsibilities

You have a responsibility to look after your home and must report any signs of damp and mould, or repairs required to your home as soon as possible. If you believe you have any signs of damp, mould or condensation in your home, speak to us immediately and we will take action to remedy it.

• Call us, 24/7, on: 01733 385000.
• Chat to us on Live Chat on the CKH website (office hours only).
• Speak to us in person at CKH Customer Central.
• Talk to your Scheme/Temporary Manager, if you live in Retirement Housing or Temporary Accommodation. 

When we visit you, we will provide you with advice, support and we may leave you with specific instructions to help resolve the damp and mould e.g. using ventilation fans or leaving monitoring devices running. You need to follow these instructions to help resolve the problem and tell us if you need any additional support to assist.

Further information:

Staff and contractor training

We will ensure that our staff and contractors have regular training that ensure they are able to:

• Understand our approach and process for handling incidents of damp and mould.
• Demonstrate empathy towards residents when responding to incidents of damp and mould.
• Spot signs and understand the causes and remedies of damp and mould
• Ensure residents are supported and that they are treated in a fair and non-discriminatory way.

Who is responsible for managing damp and mould?

Everyone has a part to play in preventing damp and mould. Our Director of Corporate Services is responsible for this policy and the overall management of damp, mould and repairs in our homes and communal areas. 

Legislation and regulation

This policy is written in accordance with the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

• Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHRS) and the Decent Homes Standard
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
• Environmental Protection Act 1990
• The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (HFHHA)
• Equality Act 2010
• Awaab's Law 2025

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We understand that some residents might have unique situations, such as medical conditions, disabilities, or vulnerabilities, which may require us to adjust how we provide our services. This commitment aligns with the Equality Act 2010. We also recognise that disabilities or other challenges can be hidden or temporary. We depend on residents or those supporting them to inform us about any additional needs they have, and to update us if these needs change, so we can respond accordingly.

Here are some examples of how we might implement this policy:

• Carrying out health and safety repairs that would typically be the resident's responsibility.
• Adjusting our service standards or timeframes where a delay would put a resident at increased risk because of a disability or health condition.
• An adjustment to how we communicate with our residents to meet their specific needs. For example, providing information in alternative ways for people who are visually or hearing impaired.

For further information please see our Residents Preference policy. 

Information sharing

Cross Keys Homes has an information sharing agreement with key agencies and contractors to share information in relation to the management and treatment of damp and mould and carrying out associated repairs. Information shared must be relevant and the Data Protection Procedure adhered to when handling data.

Monitoring and review

The Damp and Mould Policy was written and approved in October 2025 and will be reviewed every year – next review October 2026.

Other related policies

• Repairs and Maintenance Policy and Procedure

• Complaints Policy and Procedure

• Emergency Transfer and Temporary Re-housing Policy