Peterborough Damp and Mould: 17,000 Hazards, Selective Licensing and New Town Homes

Peterborough's selective licensing scheme has uncovered more than 17,000 health and safety hazards in privately rented homes, including damp and mould, and most were resolved by landlords within the agreed timescales. For landlords, the figure shows two things: inspections do find damp and mould, and the council expects it to be put right.

Peterborough in numbers

• Private rented households: 24.4% (England 20.5%); social rented: 18.6% (England 17.1%)
• Terraced homes: 21.9% (England 23.0%); flats: 16.4% (England 21.4%)
• Homes with no central heating: 1.2% (England 1.5%)
• Overcrowded households: 6.1% (England 4.4%)
• River or sea flood risk: 1.2% (England 1.9%); surface-water risk: 6.3% (England 5.9%)
• Rainfall: about 614 mm a year at Wittering, roughly ten miles away

What does a licensing scheme tell a landlord?

A licence usually comes with conditions on property standards and the power to inspect. The reported outcome in Peterborough is that hazards, damp and mould among them, are found in large numbers and are fixable: landlords who act within the timescale they are given avoid escalation. The practical lesson is to inspect before the council does, and to keep dated records of what was found and what was done.

A cathedral core and 1960s expansion

Peterborough combines a cathedral-city core with extensive New Town-era expansion from the 1960s onward. Homes of that era vary widely in construction, so check what you actually have: cavity or solid walls, insulation, flat or pitched roofs, and how well bathrooms and kitchens are ventilated. Older core properties may need breathable repairs and consent if they are listed.

Overcrowding at 6.1%

More than 6% of households are overcrowded, against 4.4% for England. More people in the same rooms means more moisture, so condensation is a likelier cause than a leak where a property is heavily occupied. Extraction that runs automatically, heating in every room and clear written guidance for tenants all help.

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 in addition to its licensing powers.

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 explains the current position.

To find a specialist, see our Peterborough damp and mould page, and the council's damp and mould advice.