Damp and Mould

We are committed to ensuring your home is safe to live in. If you've noticed patches of Damp or mould in your home, we want to hear from you so we can treat it.

Read the full Damp and Mould policy or our summarised version.

Damp And Mould Summarised Policy

Types of damp

Rising damp, penetrating damp, traumatic damp and condensation are the four most common types of damp in residential homes

Types of damp

Steps we take to reduce damp and mould

We can remove any larger areas of damp and mould in your home and reduce the risk of it returning.

How we treat damp and mould

Report damp and mould

If you tell us you have damp or mould in your home, we will arrange an appointment for a survey to take a closer look.

We will carry out an inspection within 10 working days. If the case is severe, we will inspect within two working days.

Any damp and mould repairs will be completed within 25 working days, and we will carry out a follow‑up inspection afterwards to make sure everything is resolved.

Report mould growth in your home now using one of the following quick and easy ways:

Login to your My Livin account and select My Repairs. From there, you can report a repair by typing damp or mould into the search box. We'll then ask you a few questions so we can understand the issue and how best to help you. If you'd prefer to speak to us, you can also call us on 0800 587 4538.

How do I apply for a Livin home or bungalow?

We advertise all of our available homes on our Find A Home page, simply visit this page for more information.

Before you can place a bid on one of our homes, you must first have an active account with the relevant Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Almost all our homes are located in County Durham and therefore are allocated through the Durham Key Options scheme. Durham Key Options (DKO) is a partnership between Durham County Council and landlords across County Durham.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through Tees Valley HomeFinder, Hartlepool HomeSearch and Darlington HomeSearch; They are similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for these schemes. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly.

Once your application is approved, you will then be able to bid on homes that meet your needs. You can access the application form directly by visiting the relevant Choice Based Lettings system.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

We aim to start processing your application within 10 working days. If we require any further information after this point, we will contact you to ask for this. Once we have received all the required information we will notify you of our decision within 20 days, and if accepted we will activate your account. You can also check your application status online by logging into the DKO portal.

How can I get involved with Livin and help to shape services?

To find out more about the different ways you can get involved, please visit our getting involved section.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Buy?

Tenants who have been with Livin since before the transfer from Sedgefield Council in 2009 may have the “Preserved Right to Buy” their property. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Buy website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Acquire?

If you have been a tenant for 3 or more years you may have the right to buy your property under the Right to Acquire scheme. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Acquire website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.