Newcastle Damp and Mould: Tyneside Flats, Shared Roofs and Social Housing

Newcastle is known for Tyneside flats: two-storey terraces split into an upper and a lower flat, each with its own front door. With 31.7% of homes being flats (England 21.4%) and 27.3% of households renting from a social landlord (England 17.1%), who owns what, and who fixes what, is a bigger question here than in many cities.

Newcastle in numbers

• Private rented households: 22.8% (England 20.5%); social rented: 27.3% (England 17.1%)
• Terraced homes: 23.6% (England 23.0%); flats: 31.7% (England 21.4%)
• Homes with no central heating: 1.2% (England 1.5%)
• Overcrowded households: 3.3% (England 4.4%)
• River or sea flood risk: 0.2% (England 1.9%); surface-water risk: 4.8% (England 5.9%)
• Rainfall: about 608 mm a year at Tynemouth, roughly eight miles away

Why do Tyneside flats raise particular questions?

Shared roof spaces and party walls are classic places for damp to cross from one home to another. A slipped slate or failed flashing above the upper flat can show up as staining in the lower flat, and a problem next door can travel through a shared wall. If you let one half of a building, find out who owns and maintains the roof and external walls, agree how repairs will be organised with the other owner, and put requests and responses in writing.

Flood risk is low, so look inside the building

River and sea flood risk is 0.2%, far below the England figure of 1.9%, and overcrowding is below the national rate too. In most Newcastle lets, damp is therefore more likely to come from leaks, fabric defects and condensation than from flooding.

The council's stated approach

Newcastle City Council has published a Private Sector Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy, which sets out how it responds to reports from private tenants. Reading it before a complaint arrives is the simplest way for a landlord to understand what the council will expect and in what order.

What landlords must do

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires a rented home to be fit to live in, and the council can assess damp and mould under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.

Awaab's Law currently applies to social housing, which is over a quarter of Newcastle households, with private landlords expected to follow. Our guide to Awaab's Law and the private rented sector explains the current position.

To find a specialist, see our Newcastle damp and mould page, and the council's private sector housing page.