Delinquent in house with mould that dilapidated (7)
I believe the answer is:
hoodlum
'delinquent' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'house with mould that dilapidated' is the wordplay.
'house' becomes 'ho' (abbreviation for house).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'that dilapidated' is an anagram indicator.
'mould' anagrammed gives 'odlum'.
'ho'+'odlum'='HOODLUM'
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for hoodlum that I've seen before include "Lawless youth" , "Hooligan" , "Small-time gangster" , "Mobster" , "Rowdy" .)