can i sue my council for mould in my place

owitemisermusa

Why don't you just move?

kevcampbell

anyone know why the living room has no mould but all the other rooms do?

could it be to do with all the electronics and the heat the electronics give off in the living room that prevent the living room from getting mould?

maninthestreet

Kevcampbell,

What steps have you taken to try to eradicate this mould (other than calling the council ?? Can you upoad some pictures showing the mould in the various rooms of your flat?

DVardysShadow

kevcampbell wrote: »

anyone know why the living room has no mould but all the other rooms do?

could it be to do with all the electronics and the heat the electronics give off in the living room that prevent the living room from getting mould?

Very likely this is the case - the warmth will keep the humidity low enough to prevent condensation which is the root of your problem.

poppysarah

kevcampbell wrote: »

anyone know why the living room has no mould but all the other rooms do?

could it be to do with all the electronics and the heat the electronics give off in the living room that prevent the living room from getting mould?

You don't put as much water vapour out into this room? or you open the window? Or it's got a huge draft?

olly300

kevcampbell wrote: »

anyone know why the living room has no mould but all the other rooms do?

could it be to do with all the electronics and the heat the electronics give off in the living room that prevent the living room from getting mould?

1. You don't sleep in the living room - people tend to notice lots of condensation on their bedroom windows in the morning. Sometimes the window sills will be dripping particularly if you have metal window frames.

2. You don't cook in the living room - people tend to notice condensation on the kitchen windows particularly if they are cooking

3. You don't bath/shower in the living room - people tend to notice condensation on the bathroom windows and ceiling after they have had a bath/shower

4. Living rooms tend to be the warmest rooms in the house

Jowo_2

Does the upstairs property suffer from mould? Can you see any obvious defects, like leaking downpipes?

Here is comprehensive information about mould which attributes the majority of it to tenants lifestyle - failure to adequately heat or ventilate the property through quite simple things like not opening a window when cooking or after a bath, drying wet washing inside and so forth.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/pdf/Mould.pdf

tbs624

Mould/damp/condensation can be caused by a combination of occupant lifestyle and inadequacies in the building itself and/or a lack of appropriate maintenance.

You say that this is a house converted into flats - how long ago was the conversion done?

Is it an older house that has had chimneys closed off and replacement windows put in?

What sort of heating system is in place and have you logged the max temperature achievable in each room?

How often do you have the windows open?

Are there extractions fans in either the bathroom or the kitchen?

Have you checked outside for any problems with rainwater goods or cracks in brickworks/rendering etc?

Have you asked the occupants of the other flat if they have any similar problems?

Damp and mould are recognised as a "hazard" under the HHSRS (Housing Health and Safety Rating System).

I would photograph the mould as it is now as a start, and date the photos. You then need to wash the black mould away from all hard surfaces - diluted baby sterilising fluid will kill black mould, supermarket own brands fine. Be aware that it will bleach colour from carpets, curtains, clothing etc so cover those up accordingly. Test on an inconspicuous part of the wall if patterned wallpaperor paint other than white/magnolia.

Follow the suggestions made by others on covering pans whilst cooking, avoiding the steaming-off of wet washing on indoor racks and the radiators, airing rooms properly etc. (Householders who have condensation problems will sometimes use a cloth to wipe condensation from their windows then put the wet cloth onto the radiator to dry it off for the next session , adding to the vicious circle of damp air being circulated.)

Pull furniture away from walls to allow air to circulate adequately behind.

Monitor what happens over the next four weeks - if the mould returns, photograph it again, and you then confirm *in writing* the adjustments you have personally made, in an attempt to eradicate the problem , and formally ask for the property to be assessed under HHSRS and for their written advice to be given to you: also ask them to provide a dehumidifer on a temporary basis.

If you aren't happy with the Council's advice/ their method of dealing with the matter then ask for information on their complaints procedure. You do need to keep proper notes on any repairs/maintenance issues so that you have a good "paper trail" if needed further down the line.

If necessary, you can ask your local Councillor for support - find out who they are by inputting your postcode here. Shelter 0808 800 4444 can give you advice, as can an experience housing worker at a local CAB.

Jowo_2

Have you reported the issue to the council and have they visited to inspect it? Your original post doesn't mention the action you've taken to date to report it and escalate it, nor whether the local council has taken any steps to investigate it, diagnose the cause or treat it.

neas

owitemisermusa wrote: »

Why don't you just move?

Got to quote cause its good one.

If its coming in Winter and Autumn its probably partially your fault and partially the fault of the design of flat. Ground floor flats have less ventilation (windows etc) than purpose designed ones.. especially converted ones. But if its coming in winter and autumn its prob cause you open the windows less and its colder/wetter.

Mold survives when there humidity in the air.. this humidity could come from outside (would see damp spots) or through human use i believe its something like 1-3 litres of water we as humans doing daily things add to the air.

But if its too bad just hand in your notice to your landlord (council) tell them you are no longer satifised with the service they are providing and the house and that you ar not tied to it. Then leave the flat and the mould behind and change house/landlord.

There plenty of flats available etc.