AIBU? For thinking we should leave our house immediately?

[Betty0009]

So me, my partner and our 2 kids (4&1) moved into a rented old cottage in March 2025. We knew it would be cold and damp but over the last couple of months the mould has gotten out of hand. We’ve just thrown out a whole wardrobe which had a thick film of green mould covering the whole thing. The exterior walls all have black mould growing. We clean it but it grows straight back. The kitchen cupboards stink of mould and food and appliances go mouldy in a few days. We have dehumidifiers, heating on all the time, use a tumble dryer and keep windows open. My baby has developed a cough which I’m worried is due to the mould. My partner thinks I’m stupid for wanting to stay somewhere else while we look for somewhere else to live… AIBU? (Picture is just one example of the mould)

That's bad indeed. Large furniture right against the wall especially in cramped room is going to be a problem. Are you sure your windows are open often and fir long enough?

Leave. it should be against the law to rent out a property to people in that state.

Leave whenever you want, but legally you're obliged to pay the rent on the contract as per the terms.

You also need to discuss with the landlord. Do the gutters need cleaning? Is there evidence of water ingress anywhere? Do they know about the issues?

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/damp_and_mould_in_rented_homes

Do you have somewhere else to stay? What has the landlord said?

Have you heard of Awaab’s law? There have been some big changes recently in this area have a look online and see if this could help you.

Guttering, pipe work or roof need fixing. I’d get a CCTV drainage survey to check all your pipework that’s £100 usually. Water is coming from somewhere, that will be driving the growth.

Eumm, it’s not her house.

Contact the environmental health department and quote your landlord’s license. Speak to your GP too to get the mould problem and the effect on your child’s health on record

Good luck

I'd move as soon as possible.

I spent six days in hospital after renting a mouldy cottage. My daughter now has asthma.
There is a change in the law and mould has to be rectified by the landlord immediately.

Why did you move in to a house that you knew was damp? The mould was inevitable. I don't know what the rental market is like where you are but in my area people can be looking for over a year as there's a huge shortage. Can you afford temporary accommodation indefinitely?
You should contact environmental health if the landlord isn't doing anything. Maybe contact your council housing service for advice too.

I’d be instructing the landlord and letting agent on the immediate action required. If no action, I would pay for the survey since this would be evidence of the issue and any necessary urgent works. Having this would likely allow you to legitimately break your tenancy.

This. I'd go up a ladder and clear all the gutters (if accessible) and take some photos of the roof and any gutters you cannot reach. The damp is coming from somewhere. It could be they are all blocked with leaves and silt, and overflowing. When were they last cleared?

Drainage - is the garden continually damp or wet underfoot? Are you close to a watercourse? How old is the house? Does it have a dampcourse?

The cough could very well be mould related. We had a leak that caused mould in a wall and I was not well for 2-3 months and needed an inhaler - thankfully we owned and could get insurance out to fix the leak de humidifiers and replaster the wall so it was all fine but it wasn’t great for awhile so it sounds an unsafe place for your baby

The water/damp is coming from somewhere. Do you dry washing outside? have long showers or baths with lots of steam?

Sounds like it needs the roof checked and all the gutters and drains checked.

Old houses can be a challenge at times and they need to be kept on top of.

I don't think you are unreasonable for not wanting to live somewhere with such a bad mould problem. I think you need to speak to the EA or landlord about it first and foremost and inform them its worse etc. Hopefully you have done that though.

I have really long showers, sometimes up to an hour as I have chronic pain. The only mould I get is tiny little spots on the ceiling which I can spray and they disappear. The amount of mould on OPs house isn't normal.

I would get out - especially with baby’s health to consider.

Mould is not inevitable in a damp house.

You need to inform the landlord so they can get a damp and mould survey completed. There is a reason why you have to tell the landlord.

It's going to get worse over winter - I'd not want a baby in that environment due to link between mould and respiratory issues. More likely to get infections. Not good.

Doesn’t apply to private rented properties

I'm sorry you are in this position.

That amount of mould in a house with young children would scare the hell out of me and I would be moving out if at all possible.

It's a health issue and I was very moved by what happened to the little boy in Manchester who died from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to mould in his home. A worse case of mould than in your house but still ... I would be handing in my notice asap.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-63635721

You need to report this to the landlord. They will have reasonable time to deal with the issue. If you have reported and landlord is not doing anything go to environmental health at your local council

Opening windows isn't going to fix that. Your landlord needs to and it's most likely not going to worth your energy to get them to as this clearly isn't a new issue. Have you been looking for somewhere new? I don't think your cottage is habitable.

@Betty0009 what did the LL say? What are they doing about it?

You can leave but still need to pay.

If it's nothing to do with lifestyle (house is ventilated and heating on) and the LL is doing nothing then call environmental health immediately. They will make the LL sort it out. The LL will have to pay for you to stay elsewhere if drastic work is needed or agree to end your tenancy.

Are you using a dehumidifier?