Independent Damp & Mould Surveys · East London & Essex

Damp and mould don't lie.
Neither do we.

Instrument-led damp, mould and condensation surveys — moisture readings, thermal imaging and a written report you can actually act on. For landlords, leaseholders, homeowners, tenants and letting agents.

Typical wall moisture reading
0% WME
reading…
dryriskdamp

Reading taken with a calibrated protimeter at skirting height — one data point of many in a full survey. This is a %WME (Wood Moisture Equivalent) scale, not a percentage of total moisture: readings from the mid-20s upward are conventionally treated as indicating a genuine damp problem, well before the scale reaches 100.

1,400+Surveys completed
5 daysTypical report turnaround
0Remedial work sold — we just survey
100%Awaab's Law compliant reporting
Self-check

What you might be noticing

Not every damp patch means the same thing. These are the symptoms that usually bring people to us — see which ones match before you book.

A musty smell that won't shift

Persists even after airing rooms and cleaning surfaces.

Black speckling on walls or ceilings

Often around window reveals, corners and behind furniture.

Peeling paint or bulging plaster

A sign moisture is moving through the wall, not just sitting on it.

Cold, damp patches near skirting

Usually the first place rising or penetrating damp shows.

Windows streaming with condensation

Especially in bedrooms and bathrooms on cold mornings.

Timber that's gone soft or dark

Skirting, joists or window frames that feel spongy underfoot or to the touch.

Services

Surveys matched to what's actually happening

Every property gets a mix of moisture profiling, thermal imaging and, where needed, lab analysis — scoped to the specific problem, not a one-size-fits-all checklist.

Rising damp

Rising damp survey

Moisture profiling and salts analysis to establish whether it's genuinely rising damp — which is rarer than most reports suggest — with a plain-English verdict either way.

Water ingress

Penetrating damp survey

Tracing water ingress through render, brickwork, roofing details and damp-proof courses using thermal imaging and a borescope where access is limited.

Ventilation

Condensation & mould survey

Humidity logging, ventilation assessment and thermal bridging checks, ending in a remediation plan rather than just a diagnosis.

Timber

Timber & decay inspection

Checking floor joists, roof timbers and skirting for wet rot, dry rot and active woodworm, with moisture content readings throughout.

Landlords

Awaab's Law compliance reports

Investigation and written reports structured to meet statutory social housing timescales, with clear evidence for hazard sign-off.

Pre-purchase

Pre-purchase damp check

A second opinion before you rely on a seller's damp-proofing guarantee or a standard mortgage valuation.

Process

From first call to finished report

Five steps, always in this order — nothing skipped, nothing sold along the way.

01

Enquiry & triage

Tell us what you're seeing and where, by message or the contact form. We'll give you a straight answer on whether a full survey is actually needed.

02

On-site instrument survey

Protimeter moisture readings, thermal camera, hygrometer logging and a borescope where needed. Usually 90–150 minutes on site.

03

Lab analysis, if needed

Salts and mould species samples sent to an independent laboratory — only where the visual and instrument survey can't settle the question alone.

04

Written report

Plain-English findings, annotated photos, full moisture readings and a remedial action plan, delivered within 5 working days.

05

Remedial guidance

We don't carry out building work ourselves. You get a clear specification to put out to tender, or to hand straight to a landlord or insurer.

In their words

What people tell us afterwards

Told us plainly it wasn't rising damp, even though that's what we'd been quoted for elsewhere. Saved us thousands.

— Priya, homeowner, Southend-on-Sea

Report gave us exactly what we needed to satisfy the Awaab's Law timescale, with evidence our insurer accepted first time.

— Daniel, letting agent, Romford

No pressure to book any remedial work through them. Just a clear diagnosis and a spec we could take to tender.

— Marion, landlord, Chelmsford
FAQ

Questions we're asked most

Do I need a full survey, or can you just tell me from a message?

Often we can narrow things down from a message or the contact form alone — some symptoms are clearly condensation, for example. If there's any doubt, or if you need a written report for a landlord, insurer or sale, a site visit is the only way to get instrument readings you can rely on.

Is this the same as a damp-proofing company's "free survey"?

No. Free surveys are usually sales visits that end in a quote for tanking or a chemical damp-proof course, whether or not that's the right fix. We're independent — we don't sell or carry out remedial work, so there's no incentive to overstate the problem.

What's Awaab's Law and does it apply to me?

Awaab's Law sets statutory timescales for social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould hazards. If you're a housing provider, agent or tenant needing evidence for that process, our reports are structured to meet those timescales directly.

How long does a survey take and how soon is the report ready?

The site visit is typically 90–150 minutes depending on property size. Written reports are delivered within 5 working days, sooner if lab analysis isn't required.

Do you also do the remedial work?

No, deliberately. Keeping survey and remedial work separate is what keeps the diagnosis honest. We'll give you a specification you can take to any contractor, or a shortlist if you'd like one.

Get in touch

Book a survey

Covering East London and Essex. Tell us what you're seeing and we'll come back with a straight answer, usually within one working day.

WhatsApp
Email
surveys@dampassess.co.uk
Coverage
East London & Essex
Click to add photos or drag them in (up to 6) — the affected wall, ceiling or window helps us triage faster.