rented flat+ damp

laurae · 25 January 2010 at 6:53PM

Hi
Im living in a shared rented flat. We have got a huge problem with damp/mould which the landlord is constantly ignoring. Our bathroom has an extractor fan that is broken and thus the room is covered in mould and is constantly wet - to the point where the paint has stripped off the ceiling. For the past 6 months we have been told that they are going to fix the fan..its not happening. The kitchen wall has mould and my flatmates room is covered in it on the walls. It is an extreme health hazard for her to be sleeping in that room. What are we supposed to do about it and, legally, what can we do?

Thanks

BitterAndTwisted · 25 January 2010 at 6:59PM

Stop phoning and get WRITING and send all and any correspondence by RECORD DELIVERY.

It's doubtful but not impossible that this non-working extractor-fan may be the cause of all of the damp but the overwhelming majority of instances are caused by or made worse by the occupants' life-styles by not heating and ventilating adequately.

Remove the mould with a solution of water and bleach and get looking at keeping the property warm and dry. Buy or rent a dehumidifer and run it 24/7

laurae · 25 January 2010 at 7:03PM

I doubt its caused by us not heating properly - the place is heated well. Is that our responsibility to buy a dehumidifier? I will put it all in writing but dont have much hope that this will push them into doing anything, which is why I wanted to try and throw some legal stuff at them

BitterAndTwisted · 25 January 2010 at 7:09PM

Heating well and not ventilating properly will cause condensation eventually especially on windows and in areas where the walls are coldest.

The start of the legal process is to have a paper-trail to prove that you have brought any maintenance issues to your landlord's attention in good time and to prove their unwillingness to do anything about it.

A phone call to Environmental Health might be in order but depending on the root-cause of the damp it might open up the possibility of the landlord blaming the damp of your lifestyles.

Have any of you considered getting a tradesman in to fix or replace the extractor if your landlord is unwilling to do this? it is possible to do this and deduct the cost from your rent but there are strict procedures tou must adhere to before you do this as a last resort. For guidance about this and repair issues consult the Shelter website

laurae · 25 January 2010 at 7:21PM

thanks for your help
yea - i dont want to risk sorting the problem out myself and footing the bill. Ill write a letter tonight and look at the Shelter website for further information

mazza111 · 25 January 2010 at 7:28PM

Is the mould in the bedroom on an outside wall that furniture is against? Is it on a painted surface? You could always wash the mould off using a bleach solution, not an ideal solution but would at least make it cleaner to be able to sleep. How often are the windows open in the property?

As for the repairs, yes, start the paper trail ASAP.

laurae · 25 January 2010 at 7:36PM

yes - its on outside walls. She didnt want to clean it without somebody first seeing it - I also think its not going to solve the problem as I have continously cleaned the mould in the kitchen and it just returns. Not sure how often she opens her window - the bathroom window is opened regularly but isnt helping. The kitchen only has one small window which isnt in the part of the kitchen where the mould is.

BitterAndTwisted · 25 January 2010 at 8:24PM

If she doesn't want to clean the mould before "someone" looks at it take dated photographs. Mould can be a serious health-hazard and it needs to be removed NOW! Don't think it won't solve any problems: that's a defeatist attitude and won't get anything fixed, will it? A lot of the power to get this problem sorted is in your own hands.

All windows should be opened every day or the humidity in the air won't have anywhere to go except to settle on the coldest parts of the property, like cold external walls. I'd keep that bathroom window opened, even just a crack, day and night and keep the door closed. Also that kitchen window needs to be open 24/7. Never, ever do any cooking on the hob without lids on pans. Never, ever dry laundry indoors in winter!

Fire_Fox · 25 January 2010 at 8:33PM

Mould is almost always down to condensation, which is a lifestyle issue. Many tenants underestimate the amount of water released by showering, cooking without lids on pans, breathing overnight and drying laundry indoors. Obviously the broken extractor fan has contributed, but youare still responsible for ventilating the property regularly and/ or using a dehumidifier.

The mould needs cleaning with either bleach or Dettox mould and mildew remover which will reduce the health hazard. The mould will return unless you remove the water by opening the windows daily.

littlesnuggy · 25 January 2010 at 10:11PM

Mould is a Statutory Nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act - regardless of the fact that tenant lifestyle can play a part in its creation, it's still the landlord's responsibility to ensure that something is done to rectify it. Get onto environmental health.

Fire_Fox · 25 January 2010 at 10:59PM

What is the landlord supposed to do if the mould is purely due to condensation? Turn up at 7am every morning, let himself in and open the windows?

rented flat+ damp

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