Most landlords and agents only read a damp and mould report properly when something has gone wrong. A tenant has complained again, a council officer has asked what was done, a deposit is in dispute or a new contractor wants to know what the last one found. At that point the question is simple: does this document answer it, without anyone needing to remember the visit?
A good report does. A weak one is a paragraph of opinion and two blurry photographs. The difference is not length. It is whether each claim in the report is backed by something measured, dated or photographed.
Who ends up reading the report
It helps to commission a report with its future readers in mind. These are the people most likely to pick it up:
- The landlord or asset owner, deciding whether to approve further work such as ventilation upgrades or a roof repair.
- The tenant or occupant, who wants to know what caused the mould and what is expected of them.
- A local authority officer, assessing the property under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
- A complaints handler or ombudsman, if a social housing case escalates.
- The next contractor, who needs a baseline to compare against.
Each of them is asking a slightly different question, so a useful report covers all of them in one place.
The core contents, section by section
1. Property, visit and people
The full address, the flat or unit number, the date and time of the visit, who attended and who gave access. If the occupant was present, note it. If a room could not be entered, say which one and why. This sounds basic, but a surprising number of reports cannot be tied to a specific visit.
2. A clear description of what was found
Which rooms are affected, which walls or ceilings, roughly how large each area is and how severe the growth looks. A short location note such as "north-facing external wall, bedroom 2, behind wardrobe" is far more useful than "mould in bedroom".
3. Dated photographs
Wide shots that show where in the room the problem is, then close-ups of the growth itself. Photographs should be dated and labelled by room. Without the wide shot, a close-up of black spots could have been taken anywhere.
4. Moisture readings
Readings taken at the affected areas and at comparison points on dry walls, with the location of each reading recorded. A single number on its own means little. A pattern, such as readings that rise towards a window reveal or a ceiling below a bathroom, is what points to a cause. Where relevant, relative humidity and surface temperature help show whether conditions favour condensation.
5. The likely cause, with the reasoning
This is the part that drives the spend. The report should say what the surveyor believes is causing the moisture: condensation, penetrating damp, a plumbing leak, rising damp or a combination. It should also say why, linking the conclusion to the readings and observations. If the cause is uncertain, the report should say so and set out what further investigation is needed.
6. Ventilation, heating and building observations
Extractor fans present and working or not, trickle vents open or closed, window condition, signs of cold bridging, gutters or external defects visible from inside, and how the property is heated. These observations separate a building problem from a living-pattern problem, or show where both play a part.
7. A record of works carried out
If remediation was done, the report should list each stage: containment, removal of affected material, treatment, drying and finishing, along with the products or systems used. "Mould treated" tells nobody anything.
8. Recommendations for owner and occupant, kept separate
Repairs and improvements for the owner (for example, a new extractor fan or a gutter repair) should be listed apart from guidance for the occupant (for example, keeping trickle vents open or not drying washing on radiators). Mixing the two invites an argument about who should have done what.
9. Guarantee terms
If the work carries a guarantee, the report should state what is covered and any conditions, such as the recommended fixes being completed.
| Section | What it should show | Why it matters later |
|---|---|---|
| Visit details | Date, time, attendees, rooms accessed | Proves when you acted after the report |
| Photographs | Wide and close shots, dated, labelled | Shows scale and location without dispute |
| Readings | Values and where each was taken | Backs up the diagnosis |
| Cause | Conclusion plus reasoning | Decides which repair is needed and who acts |
| Works record | Each stage carried out | Distinguishes treatment from a quick repaint |
| Recommendations | Owner and occupant lists | Sets clear responsibilities |
Mistakes that make a report almost useless
- No date on the photographs. Undated images cannot show when the problem was seen or when it was fixed.
- Blaming lifestyle without evidence. A line saying "tenant not ventilating" with no readings or ventilation checks will not stand up to scrutiny, and it damages the relationship with the occupant.
- One reading, no comparison. A single high reading tells you a wall is wet, not why.
- Vague locations. "Some mould in the flat" cannot be checked against a later visit.
- Recommendations nobody owns. If a fix is needed but nobody is named to do it, it tends not to happen.
- No after photographs. Evidence that the problem was found is only half the story. You also need evidence it was dealt with.
For social landlords: under Awaab's Law, a written summary of the investigation must be given to the tenant within 3 working days of the investigation concluding. A well-structured report makes that summary quick to produce and consistent with what is on your file.
A checklist before you file it
When a report arrives, run through these questions before you close the job:
- Can I tell exactly which property, room and wall this is about?
- Are all photographs dated, and are there before and after images?
- Are the moisture readings recorded with their locations?
- Does the report state a likely cause and explain how it was reached?
- Is there a list of the works carried out, stage by stage?
- Are owner actions and occupant guidance listed separately?
- Are the guarantee terms and any conditions written down?
- Has a copy, or a plain summary, gone to the tenant?
If any answer is no, ask the contractor to fill the gap now. It is far easier while the visit is fresh than six months later when a complaint arrives.
How we put our reports together
Every Wblam job ends with a dated report containing before and after photographs, moisture readings, the likely cause, a record of the works carried out, recommendations for the owner and the occupant, and the guarantee terms for the treated areas. It is written so you can forward it to a landlord, a tenant or an insurer without rewriting it. If you need a report on its own, without remediation, see our compliance reports service.