Shame & embarrassment

Shame and embarrassment are common side effects of enduring dampness. This predominantly manifests in relation to inviting friends and family over,

While survey respondents from all tenure types reported such feelings in relation to their living conditions, levels of this were markedly higher in the social rented sector. In addition to this, although respondents and interviewees in the PRS did report similar feelings, they were less likely to report it limiting their activities. For example, while a respondent in the PRS might say it made them feel embarressed when guests were visiting, a corresponding response from a social tenant would more likely describe actively not inviting guests over at all.

This compounding of shame for social tenants is in part linked to stigma, which surrounds both the poor conditions in social housing, and social housing more broadly as a tenure.

How could they…

Specific phrases often pop up in relation to the anxiety of someone else witnessing damp conditions. Tenants voice this through their concern of what others might think or say. Invariably, these imagined thoughts of others start with the same three words: how could they.

‘How could they live like that’ / ‘How could they let their children live in a place like that’ / ‘How could they keep the house in such a state’ / ‘How could they let that happen’ / ‘How could they let things get so bad’

In some cases, shame and embarrassment can also become affectual causes for the worsening and prolonging of damp conditions. For instance, it may lead someone to delay reporting their conditions for fear that it might lead to judgement, or that they are ultimately at fault.