Advice needed for a tenant

CAFCGirl

Hi All

First time on this board so forgive me if I confuse anyone.

DH and I moved into a ground floor 1 bed flat that we are renting via a letting agent in December 07.
The flat is on a new build so we knew there would be some moisture in the walls etc.

We used to get a lot of condensation on the inside of our windows. We looked online and followed all the information, airing it out, heating it properly, wiping it away,keeping the vents open but then if we dont wipe it up quick enough it then turns into mould.....
We contacted the letting agent who told us we needed to contact the build developer and basically we just kept getting passed back and forward, noone taking responsibility!

When the weather got better we carried on airing it out, and over the summer had the french doors open and the windows. However now its got cold again, its all back!

Add onto that we have an inbuilt wardrobe in our bedroom, and we have had shoes/clothes etc which are stored in there getting a light hazy kind of mould on them as well!

We've got 2 bedside units which we moved on sunday after a pair of jeans I got out felt damp and selt musty and the back of the units is covered in mould as well!

Theres no damp line on the walls etc and we're at a bit of a loss now.
We've got ruined clothes, furniture covered in mould and we're also repeatedly ill with colds etc (not sure if thats relevant!)

Basically we've taken photos of everything, and we want to send copies of them and a letter to our letting agent, the developer and now added into the mix is a property management company! Ideally we'd like to send on to the landlord directly as well but we dont have an address for them.

Basically what Im after is some sustance and weight to give my letter so they dont just ignore it, and what our rights are as tenants. I dont see why we should have to pay to replace items that are being ruined because noone else will take responsibility and sort it out.

A friend with some experience in building trade said its likely to be the damp coursing isnt fitted, but we havent got that confirmed.

So can anyone suggest some key points to highlight in the letter to all those parties involved, or suggest who we should be going after?
basically any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance and I hope this has all made sense.
Regards x

truman_sparks

your letting agent must provide you with the property owners full details within (i think??) 21 days. certainly within 1 month, to fail to do so is breaking the law.

Your contract is with whoever owns the property through the agent, not who built it. forget everyone but owner and agent.

Go to the "shelter" website.

Tell them you will be copying in the council department who are responsible for housing and landlords and notify them of the standards of this property.

go to CAB.

TS

P.s lots of places to rent, consider another.

Gorgeous_George

Start looking for somewhere better.

Tell them to make the home habitable or you are moving out. Tell them that, in the meantime, you expect a hefty discount on the rent.

If they do not dance to your tune, move out.

GG

PasturesNew

Look through the newspaper classifieds for a dehumidifier in the meantime.
A dehumidifier will take all the moisture out of the room, air, walls, wherever it's come from. So you won't have ruined things at least.

Or Argos have one ta half price at the moment £49
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500001151&productId=1500263395&langId=-1&engine=froogle&keyword=Dehumidifier+14+Litre

You buy them usually based on the size of the rooms you are trying to sort out but any is better than none and that size is probably fine.

Gorgeous_George

PasturesNew wrote: »

A dehumidifier will take all the moisture out of the room, air, walls, wherever it's come from.

... and you can use the water from the dehumidifier in your iron.

I bought my tenant a dehumidifier just last month. The house isn't damp but I know she will be drying clothes inside over Winter and prevention is better than cure.

GG