Help!! Estate agents falsely represented property & mold problem!

QTPie

Let us know how you get on...

I honestly think that the best move for you IS to move (it certainly worked out VERY well for us and, like you, it opened our eyes...).

I suggest that you look at a potential move as an "opportunity" and a "positive" - we certainly did! Don't look at it as stress, but look at what you will gain...

QT

caela wrote: »

Thank you so much for your support guys. QT, that sounds like our flat lol moved in January and didn't take long for the mold to make it's appearance, our third tenant lol. I have been looking at other properties and it seems for what we are paying here we can get a far nicer apartment anyway, with NO mold lol! I think you're right, avoid the stress and move. I dread the challenge, but I guess change is good and will pay off in the long run. I love this flat, but maybe it's opened my eyes to what's out there and you can't be too sentimental.

Glad you guys sorted out your moving and got a nice new damp free place! So sorry to hear about your dilema, at least the mold has not made us ill yet... although my boyfriend is starting to get allergic. If the ll does want to fool the next people, he's got another thing coming cos if we move out, I'll write to the next tenants and tell them about our situation and hopefully they'll have more luck than we did!

Thanks again for all the support! xxx

Gingernutmeg

QTPie wrote: »

My God, that is virtually IDENTICAL to our experience!!! (13 years ago now, fortunately... )

QT

When I think back to that flat, it always makes me laugh when the first point in any of the info about preventing damp is 'are you sure you're ventilating the property enough?' With those windows, we didn't have a choice lol :rolleyes:

OP, I agree that probably the best thing to do is look into moving. In my experience, once a property is damp in that way there's little you as a tenant can do to sort it out. In the meantime, I really recommend the Dettol Mould and Mildew spray. It's bleach based so be careful, but it did help us keep on top of it till we could move. If you need something stronger I'd also recommend the HG mould spray that you can get from Homebase. I'm not exactly sure where you can use it but it's fab if you got mould issues in a bathroom. It's not a great comfort but we did find that the problem eased a bit once it warmed up generally too.

Paley71

After living in three properties and suffering mould in the bathroom of all of them I've finally accepted it's our fault...our new house had been empty for over a year and not a blemish anywhere in the bathroom, hey presto, two weeks after we move in there's condenstion spores all over.
Roasting hot two hour baths every night and no open windows = mould.

Kez100

We have lived here for 18 years and this is the first year we have suffered badly. I think the fact we had such an awful wet summer last year has made the situation worse because our south facing home never got to really really dry out like it does in a hot summer. There was also a lot more drying of clothes indoors etc last year.

We do have the windows open when we can but if you work that isn't easy, either.

I agree with it being the way you live as wellas probably a problem with the weather which is out of everyones control. If you don't own the home then change your living habits or move.

Gingernutmeg

Paley, try the HG stuff. When we moved into our current house the shower cubicle had been left shut for ages and was horribly mouldy, but one treatment with the HG stuff has kept it away for six months (and counting). It reeks and it's not the cheapest but it definitely works on mouldy tiles and grout.

greenfairy84

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Condensation - and the mould that often follows - is generally a "lifestyle" issue which is entirely under the occupants' control.

You say you moved in and all was hunky-dory ...... then the mould began, which kinda confirms that you (or the way you live) are the cause of it.

For this reason, I can't see how you can insist that the LL pays to have the flat cleaned.

With the weather milder I would have the windows open all weekend, clean the mould and hire a dehumidifier for a week or so. Improve the ventilation and reduce the moisture in the air and see how you go.

I can't see that insisting that the LL deals with it is going to get you anywhere - sorry

----

Condescending, MUCH?!?!?! jeebus!

QTPie

Paley71 wrote: »

After living in three properties and suffering mould in the bathroom of all of them I've finally accepted it's our fault...our new house had been empty for over a year and not a blemish anywhere in the bathroom, hey presto, two weeks after we move in there's condenstion spores all over.
Roasting hot two hour baths every night and no open windows = mould.

Why not open some windows? We have windowless (internal) bathrooms, but they have good ventilation/extraction, so not a problem...

You say that the house was "empty" for a year (and had been left dry at the start of that period) - of course no mould in that case... mould DOES need moisture... it IS a ventilation issue, but it goes beyond the tenant. A normal house, under normal use (like several baths/showers a day, cooking etc) should NOT be mouldy!

I agree with what someone else says, once you get it it is VERY hard to get rid of.

QT

Kirri

I am in a small flat with single glazing and no window in the bathroom and mould started building up very quickly after I moved in - I bought a dehumidifier which now keeps the humidity around 50% (down from 80%+) and no problems at all now.

Unless you do something to reduce the humidity you'll never decrease the mould however much cleaning you do!

Paley71

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

Paley, try the HG stuff. When we moved into our current house the shower cubicle had been left shut for ages and was horribly mouldy, but one treatment with the HG stuff has kept it away for six months (and counting). It reeks and it's not the cheapest but it definitely works on mouldy tiles and grout.

I'll give that a go thanks.

Paley71

QTPie wrote: »

Why not open some windows? We have windowless (internal) bathrooms, but they have good ventilation/extraction, so not a problem...

You say that the house was "empty" for a year (and had been left dry at the start of that period) - of course no mould in that case... mould DOES need moisture... it IS a ventilation issue, but it goes beyond the tenant. A normal house, under normal use (like several baths/showers a day, cooking etc) should NOT be mouldy!

I agree with what someone else says, once you get it it is VERY hard to get rid of.

QT

Sorry, the point I was trying to make is that I know the cause is condensation and not damp (which would have shown up in an empty
property unless the owner was touching the paint up every month)
And I realise that some houses will develop this problem regardless of the measures taken and some don't in spite of not ventilating properly.
I've been forcing myself to open the window more but it's a downstairs bathroom which makes me feel quite vulnerable it's also soooo cold!