Scotland Mould Removal

Mould removal in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has some of the oldest housing in Scotland still lived in every day. Stone walls, basement flats and shared roofs all bring their own damp problems.

We're a free matching service, not a damp company. Your enquiry goes to one independent specialist who works in your part of Edinburgh.

Areas we cover in Edinburgh

Why Edinburgh homes get damp

Georgian and Victorian stone

Much of central Edinburgh is built from local sandstone with solid walls and lime mortar. Those walls were designed to take in a bit of moisture and breathe it out again. Over the last century many have been repointed in cement, coated in non-breathable paint inside, or lined with gypsum plaster. Each of those can stop the wall drying, and the moisture shows up as damp patches and mould on the inside face.

The New Town and Old Town are a World Heritage Site and most of the city centre is in conservation areas. Replacement windows, new vents and external work often need consent, so a fix that's simple in a modern house can take longer here.

Basement and garden flats

Basement flats in the New Town, Stockbridge and Marchmont sit partly below street level. Their front walls back onto pavement vaults or earth, and their windows face a narrow area that gets little sun. Damp from the side, poor ventilation and cold walls all work together, so these flats are especially prone to mould.

Tenements in Leith, Gorgie and Marchmont

Victorian tenements across the city have the same weak points: rhones and downpipes that block, chimney stacks that let water in, and roofs that depend on several owners agreeing to pay for repairs. Top-floor flats under a valley gutter and ground-floor flats by a back-green downpipe get the worst of it.

Haar and wind

Coastal areas like Portobello and Leith get sea haar rolling in off the Forth, and exposed walls take wind-driven rain. That raises the moisture load on walls that are already slow to dry.

High-rise council blocks

The city council has publicly acknowledged long waits for damp and mould repairs in some of its multi-storey blocks, and has since set up a dedicated damp and mould team. Flats in tower blocks often suffer from cold bridging at floor slabs and window edges.

Reporting damp to the council

If you're a City of Edinburgh Council tenant, report damp and mould through the council house repairs contact page, which links to a dedicated damp, mould and condensation form. The council also publishes a guide to reducing damp, condensation and mould.

Housing association tenants should report it to their association. Private tenants should report it to their landlord or letting agent in writing first, then to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber) if it isn't dealt with. Our tenants' guide covers the steps.

Typical costs in Edinburgh

Until we've seen enough local quotes, the figures we can give are UK averages from MyJobQuote. They put a single wall at about £150–200, a large room at £220–280 and a whole property at £725–1,100. Treat these as typical ranges, not quotes. Access in Edinburgh can push prices up: parking permits, top-floor flats with no lift, and scaffolding on a busy street all add cost. See the cost guide for the details.

Letting property in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has a large private rented sector, much of it in older flats. Since 6 October 2026 landlords must investigate damp and mould within 10 working days and start any repairs within 5 working days of that investigation. If you manage a portfolio, select "landlord or letting agent" in the form. Read more on our landlords page or in the Awaab's Law guide.

Common questions

I live in a listed building. Can I fit an extractor fan?

Often yes, but in a listed building or a conservation area you may need consent for anything that changes the outside, such as a new vent through a front wall. A specialist used to Edinburgh's older buildings will usually route it through the back or the roof. Check with the council's planning service if you're unsure.

My basement flat is damp along the front wall. Is that rising damp?

Not necessarily. Front walls of basement flats often sit against the pavement vault or below street level, so water can come in from the side as well as below. A survey should establish which it is before any treatment is chosen.

Do you cover Musselburgh, Dalkeith or South Queensferry?

Send the enquiry. Many Edinburgh specialists work across the Lothians. If no one covers your postcode, we'll say so.

Get a free quote

This is a free matching service, not the firm doing the work. We pass your details to one independent damp and mould specialist who covers your postcode. They contact you, arrange a visit and quote you directly. You don't pay us anything.

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Tenants: we don't pass tenants' details to contractors. Your landlord has to deal with damp and mould, and we'll show you how to make them.

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