A council is telling private tenants in its area to make contact if they believe their mould-related problems are not being solved by their landlords.

Fenland council says it is a “key priority” to endure that the rental properties within its boundaries do not contain health hazards such as damp and mould.

It says it believes most private landlords in Fenland maintain properties in a good condition, but the council will investigate complaints from tenants and take enforcement action where necessary.

Tenants who are not satisfied with the response of their landlord after raising a formal complaint about the condition of their home can use the council’s website to raise an alarm.

The authority says cases will be “assessed and triaged” to ensure the most urgent matters are given priority. Where appropriate, officers will carry out a property inspection and work with the landlord/agent to require remedial work to be carried out – with the power to serve legal notices if issues are not resolved.

Samantha Hoy, the councillor responsible for housing, says: “The demand on the council’s housing department increases in the winter, as is to be expected. But this year, with the cost-of-living crisis and people reducing their use of heating, which can result in damp and mould growth, the number of enquiries is much greater than normal.

“The team can advise tenants on ways to help this and will support them if there are underlying issues that need to be resolved by their landlords. Protecting tenants from unsafe and poor housing conditions remains a big priority in Fenland and we will not hesitate to use powers to ensure standards are being met.”

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