DRY HOME UK — FREE DAMP & MOULD DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
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Before you clean anything, buy anything, or call anyone — work through this
in order. It won't fix the problem, but it will stop you paying for the
wrong fix.

1. DIAGNOSE FIRST
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- Is it worse in winter and after cooking, showering or drying laundry
  indoors? -> Likely condensation.
- Is there a clean horizontal tide mark below about 1m on a ground-floor
  wall, with no obvious link to cooking/showering/laundry? -> Possible
  rising damp (rarer than most people are told — get it verified, don't
  assume).
- Is it on a ceiling, or does it appear/worsen after rain? -> Likely a
  leak or penetrating damp, not condensation.
- Run the foil test: tape a sheet of kitchen foil flat to the affected
  wall, sealed on all four edges, and leave it a minimum of 48 hours.
  Moisture on the OUTER (room-facing) side points to condensation.
  Moisture on the INNER (wall-facing) side points to moisture coming
  through the wall itself.

2. WARNING SIGNS THAT MEAN "GET A SURVEY," NOT "CLEAN IT AND HOPE"
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- A tide mark that keeps rising or spreading over weeks
- Damp appearing well above skirting height with no rising-damp pattern
- Any damp patch on a ceiling (this is almost never condensation — treat
  it as a leak until checked)
- Large or repeated infestations behind plaster
If you see any of these, get an INDEPENDENT survey — not a free survey
from a firm that also quotes for the remedial work. That's a conflict of
interest, not a bargain.

3. WHAT NHS GUIDANCE ACTUALLY SAYS
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Damp and mould can cause or worsen respiratory problems, trigger asthma,
and cause allergic reactions — with higher risk for children, older
people, and those with weakened immunity. That's the extent of it. There
is no official UK guidance on "toxic black mould," mycotoxins, or a
"mould illness" diagnosis. If you're worried about a specific health
symptom, see your GP — this checklist (and this site) isn't a substitute
for that.

4. IF YOU'RE A TENANT — DO THIS BEFORE SPENDING ANY MONEY
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- Report the damp/mould to your landlord IN WRITING (email or letter,
  not just a phone call) — this starts the clock on their legal duty to
  act, and gives you a dated record.
- Know that landlords have a legal duty to keep a property fit for human
  habitation, and that social landlords face stricter timeframes under
  Awaab's Law.
- If ignored, your council's environmental health team has real legal
  powers to force action — this is free to use.
- Shelter and Citizens Advice can tell you your specific rights. We
  can't — we're not solicitors.

5. THE ONE THING NEVER TO DO FIRST
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Don't paint over mould. It hides the problem without solving it, and it
will come back — usually within a season — because the surface underneath
is still damp.

For the full guides behind every point above, see dryhomeuk.co.uk/blog/