A YORK charity says the Government needs to give more protection to renters who may be worrying about issues with damp or mould.

More than half of private renters in England, including 1.6 million children, are living in cold, damp or mouldy homes, a survey by Citizens Advice suggests.

Around 2.7 million households are struggling with poor living conditions brought on by a combination of high energy bills and a lack of insulation, the survey found.

The problem is especially bad in the least energy efficient homes, with private tenants being 73 per cent more likely to be living with damp if they are in a property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D-G, rather than A-C.

Speaking on the figures, principal policy adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in York, Darren Baxter, who leads on the charity's housing work, said: "Good quality homes give us a strong foundation for a healthy life. Living in cold, damp or mouldy homes has a detrimental impact on people’s physical and mental health.

"The private rented sector has the highest proportion of poor-quality homes compared to any other tenure type - and this just isn’t right.

“The Government must bring forward the long-promised Renters’ Reform Bill, which would give more protection to renters who worry about reporting issues like damp or mould for fear of being evicted.

"The bill would also address poor-quality in the private rented sector by applying the Decent Homes Standards to private rented homes.”

The average private sector tenant in England is paying £350 more a year on heating because of poorly insulated and damp homes, while those in the least efficient properties are paying an extra £950, Citizens Advice said.

With energy bills set to rise again in April, those in the least efficient homes could pay a “terrifying” £1,190 more a year.

Citizens Advice is calling on the Government to bring regulation of the private rental sector in line with social housing by following the lead set by ‘Awaab’s Law’, a newly announced Government proposal which will place strict, legally binding timelines on landlords to deal with issues such as damp and mould.

Two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould at his home in Rochdale.

Gillian Cooper, head of energy policy at Citizens Advice, said: “Every week we hear stories of people living in cold, damp and mouldy properties they can’t afford to heat properly.

“It’s shameful that more than 20 years since legislation came into force to reduce fuel poverty and improve the energy performance of homes, people are still suffering.

“Improving energy efficiency in privately rented homes has never been more urgent. It’s the step needed to keep people’s essential bills low, while also helping to protect their health."