Report a problem with your housing conditions

The Environmental Health team has a duty to investigate houses which are in poor condition and take action where necessary.

If you have a problem with your home, you first need to:

• contact your landlord in writing to advise them
• give them an opportunity to put things right

This also gives you additional protection against eviction if we take formal action at a later date.

Damp and mould are often caused by:

• condensation
• poor ventilation

Before reporting this, read our advice on keeping your home free from damp and mould.

If your landlord does not take suitable action in a reasonable time after you have contacted them, you can report it to us.

Email us at [email protected] and provide:

• your name, address and contact details
• your agent or landlord's name, address and contact details
• what the problem is
• the name of anyone else living with you, and whether they are related to you or part of your family
• the age range of the people living in the house (as often young children or older people might be at higher risk)
• whether you or other people living with you have a serious illness or disability (as they might be at higher risk)

We may ask for photographs and/or send you a questionnaire to help us gather the information.

Once we receive your information, we'll:

1. assess it and decide what action to take
2. contact your landlord to tell them your concerns and to give notice that we intend to inspect the property
3. inspect your property and decide what action is needed
4. take appropriate action in line with our enforcement policy

Enforcement action could mean that we:

• give informal advice to you or your landlord
• serve a Hazard Awareness Notice, formally advising the landlord of defects
• serve an Improvement Notice, requiring works to be carried out within a specific timescale
• making a Prohibition Order to restrict use of part of all of the dwelling

Email: [email protected]

This form is for Health, Social Care and other professionals to directly refer concerns on behalf of their client to the Environmental Health service for advice about housing conditions and disrepair. The client can be in rented accommodation (private or social) or be an owner occupier.

We may contact you to clarify details, but we are unable to provide you with ongoing progress reports in all cases.

Please provide your work email address to confirm that you are from a partner agency.