Lichfield Damp and Mould: Conservation Areas and Repairing Historic Rentals

Lichfield is a small cathedral city with a Georgian centre, and for landlords that history changes the repair options. Only 12.7% of households in the Lichfield district rent privately, well below the England figure of 20.5%, so there are relatively few rented homes, and many of those that exist are older buildings where the usual quick fixes for damp can do more harm than good.

Lichfield in numbers

• Private rented households: 12.7% (England 20.5%); social rented: 13.0% (England 17.1%)
• Terraced homes: 14.2% (England 23.0%); flats: 11.5% (England 21.4%)
• Homes with no central heating: 0.9% (England 1.5%)
• Overcrowded households: 1.5% (England 4.4%)
• River or sea flood risk: 0.9% (England 1.9%); surface-water risk: 3.7% (England 5.9%)
• Rainfall: about 692 mm a year at Penkridge, roughly twelve miles away

Low risk on paper, a different problem in practice

Every indicator in the table is more favourable than the England figure: less overcrowding, fewer homes without central heating, lower flood risk. The district-level numbers therefore give little reason to expect widespread damp. The difficulty is with individual older buildings, and with the fact that the district covers much more than the historic city centre.

Repairing a listed or conservation-area property

Old masonry was built to absorb and release moisture. Modern cement render, waterproof paint and some chemical damp-proof treatments can trap moisture in the wall and push the problem elsewhere. Before choosing a fix for a historic rental, landlords should:

1. Find out whether the building is listed or sits in a conservation area, because that can affect which works need consent.
2. Diagnose the cause first, whether leaking gutters, failed pointing, high ground levels or condensation.
3. Use repairs suited to old buildings, such as lime-based mortars and plasters, where the building calls for it.
4. Use a surveyor or contractor with experience of historic properties.

What landlords must do

Heritage status does not remove the duty to provide a safe, healthy home. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 applies to a Georgian townhouse as much as to a new flat, and Lichfield District Council can assess hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. The constraint is on how the repair is done, not on whether it is done.

Awaab's Law currently applies to social housing, with private landlords expected to follow. Our guide to Awaab's Law and the private rented sector covers the current position.

To find a specialist, see our Lichfield damp and mould page.