Beyond the Damp and Mould

Damp and mould are persistent, damaging, and dangerous. Whether caused by poor ventilation, structural flaws, or environmental factors, the outcome is the same: deteriorating homes and worsening health risks. It’s a problem that demands a real solution—not just surface-level fixes.

Yet beyond acknowledging these well-known health dangers, there’s a deeper challenge at play: trust.

What do residents actually perceive housing associations to be doing about damp and mould? More importantly, what are housing associations realistically able to do? The unfortunate truth is that when a housing association’s only visible response is sending someone to paint over the problem with mould-resistant paint, it’s not just ineffective—it breeds frustration and erodes trust.

This lack of faith between residents and housing associations turns a practical issue into a relationship crisis. Because when residents feel like no one’s truly listening or addressing the root cause, the result is a community disillusioned by temporary fixes and promises that seem empty.

In a Hypothetical World

Imagine if there were a quick fix. Engineers could be dispatched to a property—a home, a sanctuary—and with the flick of a switch, extractors would draw every ounce of damp from the walls, windows, ceilings, and even the carpets. The moisture would gently gather into a container, ready to be emptied.

Once the space was dry, they could inject the walls, floors, and ceilings with a magical, potent chemical—a protective barrier that allowed the building to breathe but kept moisture firmly at bay. The result? A home immune to damp and mould.

Picture this solution costing somewhere between £100 and £500 per property. Housing associations would be given five years to treat their entire housing stock. By the end of this period, residents would find their homes dry, secure, and protected.

And then, the housing association could confidently say: Here’s what you, as a resident, need to do to help maintain your home and keep it dry. Suddenly, the relationship would make sense. The housing association would have solved the immediate problem while empowering the resident to play their part.

Happy days. It wouldn’t be long before England became a dry and pleasant land.

A Vexing Enough World Without Hypotheticals

In the real world, there’s no magic potion. No instant fix. Damp and mould are issues we’re going to have to confront head-on, yet a clear path to resolution still seems to evade us. Sure, new products and promising solutions are always on the horizon—but I remain sceptical.

So let’s entertain the hard truth for a moment: what if we simply can’t fix this problem outright? What comes next?

One unavoidable step is asking residents to take preventative measures. Many already do, diligently and tirelessly. They mop, wipe, ventilate, and do everything in their power to keep their homes dry. And yet, even this won’t solve everything.

We know that a significant portion of ageing housing stock is inherently prone to damp and mould. Badly fitted windows only worsen the problem. Structural flaws in buildings create persistent vulnerabilities.

Unfortunately, the response from housing associations often feels like little more than a cheap fix. When things get bad, they show up with paint advertised as damp-resistant or armed with harsh sprays aimed at cleaning the mould away. Yet, within weeks, the problem returns.

The cycle continues: residents report the issue, go through the complaint process, and housing associations make the right noises, only to return to their usual cover-up approach. It’s a temporary patch, not a solution.

This approach inevitably leads to bad press for housing associations and a further breakdown in trust between provider and resident. And through it all, the damp and mould remain.

When ‘In It Together’ Should Truly Mean ‘In It Together’

So, to start the path to resolution, we really have to work together. It’s time for housing associations to admit that they can’t succeed on their own, that they have failed in certain areas, and that the issue at hand is beyond their control, beyond their remit, and beyond their capabilities. They must work closely with residents to find a solution.

This is going to require clear and honest communication. But that communication has to begin with housing associations acknowledging that they can’t fix this problem alone. There needs to be a clear roadmap—a collaborative plan—that outlines what can be done together. This means securing additional funding, advocating for regulatory changes, and investing in long-term solutions.

As we constantly emphasize in the housing sector, bridging the gap between residents and providers is essential. We need to work together. Housing associations wasting money on painting over damp and mould isn’t solving the problem. Telling residents to open windows and wipe down wet surfaces is not a lasting solution.

It’s going to take more than that. And the first step in figuring out what “more” is, is adopting a communication style that says, “We’re failing here, we need to work together, and we’re open to solutions.” Only when housing associations admit that this issue is beyond their control can we start making real progress. Until then, we’re simply putting a band-aid on a broken system.

In the end, damp and mould are not problems that can be solved with quick fixes or temporary measures. It’s clear that the current approach is failing both residents and housing associations alike. What’s needed now is collaboration—a genuine partnership built on trust, communication, and shared responsibility.

Housing associations must not only acknowledge their limitations but also take action—whether that means securing additional funding, advocating for regulatory changes, or investing in long-term solutions. Without meaningful steps forward, trust will continue to erode, and the damp will keep returning.

The path forward is one where both sides understand the severity of the issue and take active steps to address it together. Only then will we begin to bridge the gap between tenant and provider and, ultimately, create homes that are safe, healthy, and free of damp and mould for everyone.