Landlord advice on damp please.

steveM1978

Hi,

I have a flat that rent out. it has recently suffered from a bit of damp on two walls. The tennant has complained so i got a specialist in to have a look. He has told me that it is condensation and it is very common in houses of this age, he has syggested a good wash with sugar soap and a coat of anti fungal paint.

I have told the tennants that this is the advice and i intend to have the work carried out. They then said that they have recently decorated and would they be reimbursed. When they moved in the flat was professionally painted and new carpets laid (magnolia wall) I have told them that i will pay for the two walls to be repainted in magnolia.

they never asked permission to paint. they have been problem tennants with late payments, lots of phone calls etc. (they even coplained to me when the gas ran out and when their fridge was leaking(their fridge not mine)) they complained that one windows was single glazed (advertised as partial double glazing) and it made the bathroom cold, i said tough, 2 weeks later magically the window was leaking....

Two questions.. the contract is now out of the initial 6 month term and is rolling

A) can i evict them?
where do I and they stand inrelation to the damp?

Frankly I have had enough of them.

RAS

steveM1978 wrote: »

I have told them that i will pay for the two walls to be repainted in magnolia.

Why - it is their fault. Unless of course you failed to make a good incoming signed inventory?

They are in trouble with "damp" caused by condesation - take the remedial costs out of the deposit.

Assuming you have the deposit protected properly and a gas safety certificate, then it is two month's notice from the required date, serve a section 21 no fault notice. So if the AST ran out on 21 December, it is two months from Februaery 21st, provided the notice is served correctly before that date.

paul1964_2

RAS wrote: »

Why - it is their fault. Unless of course you failed to make a good incoming signed inventory?

They are in trouble with "damp" caused by condesation - take the remedial costs out of the deposit.

From the details given by the OP, I don't think you can be certain that the tenant is liable for the damage.

In fact, this bit implies that it may be a problem with the property....

..... i got a specialist in to have a look. He has told me that it is condensation and it is very common in houses of this age

When we moved into our current place, a spare bedroom showed visible signs of damp/condensation. The LL called in a builder, who concluded that it was condensation caused by a combination of the property being constructed with poor ventilation and a cold spot in the loft space (caused by a single glazed window in the poorly insulated loft space).

Every time it gets cold and we switch on the central heating, the condensation returns. We have a utility room forming part of the detached garage, so no washing/drying takes place in the main part of the house. Also, the problem room is at the opposite end of the building to the bathroom and the kitchen. The LL accepts that condensation is not caused by us and we don't complain because we only use the room to store a few things.

BitterAndTwisted

Regardless, these tenants are more trouble than they're worth. I'd get rid of them, decorate for the new tenants and give them a fact-sheet about the causes of condensation when they move in.

Poor ventilation is easy to remedy. Open a bleeding window!

Geenie

OP, did you do a full inventory and take pictures? Pictures are so important, and should be included and signed with the inventory.

If the AST stated that they should not paint the walls without permission, then they have not adhered to the AST.
Does it state this? If so, they took the property on agreeing to the magnolia walls, and you have now agreed to repair and repaint the walls in magnolia as was in the property.
I would not in your circumstances agree to compensate for a colour they should have never put up in the first place, as you are correcting the property to what it was as first let.

Was the loss of gas due to a fault in the house, or the fact they didn't pay their bills? Complaing to you about a fridge they own is taking the biscuit somewhat. Having said that, if condensation is a problem, I would provide a dehumidifier for the property as a LL.

What does concern is the problem paying rent. I do have a particular tenant who is occasionally late, due to cash flow. But she always rings me well before hand to say there is going to be a few days delay on the due date of the 1st, and it always comes in by the end of the week. I don't have a problem with this.

Where we have had tenants paying very late, needing constantly chasing, phoning and not taking their rent seriously, we have eventually evicted, as it tends to get worse as time goes on.

paul1964_2

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Regardless, these tenants are more trouble than they're worth. I'd get rid of them, decorate for the new tenants and give them a fact-sheet about the causes of condensation when they move in.

Poor ventilation is easy to remedy. Open a bleeding window!

Have tried opening a window when the central heating timer comes on and we are out of the house, but my arms are too short.

I wish we had been give a fact-sheet about condensation - we could have used it to mop up the water.

It is a fact that condensation can (sometimes) be a result of the fabric of the property rather than the actions of the occupier, but I guess you are right, the tenant does sound like trouble.

clutton_2

i have this in my tenancy agreement now

""
Problems caused by mildew
Mildew is a common problem in the form of black patches that grow on walls and shower curtains and around window frames. It is also inclined to grow in areas of poor air circulation due to furniture placed too close to walls. Mildew can ruin paintwork & curtains. It forms when there is a high moisture content in air which then condenses on cold surfaces such as the inside surfaces of outside walls. Moisture in the air comes from a number of sources.
The Tenant agrees to
1) Regularly air the property by leaving windows open even just a small amount. This is essential to permit moisture to escape.
2) Open the bathroom window and close the bathroom door during and after showering or bathing.
3) Use any electric air extraction system both during and after cooking and bathing
4) Heat the property sufficiently.
5) Avoid drying clothes in the property. If there is no alternative, agree to keep the door shut and open a window.
6) Permit air to circulate around the walls by not placing furniture and other objects close to the walls.
7) Leave window trickle vents open where fitted.

if anyone wants to use it- feel free

Fire_Fox

paul1964 wrote: »

Have tried opening a window when the central heating timer comes on and we are out of the house, but my arms are too short.

I wish we had been give a fact-sheet about condensation - we could have used it to mop up the water.

It is a fact that condensation can (sometimes) be a result of the fabric of the property rather than the actions of the occupier, but I guess you are right, the tenant does sound like trouble.

I am a leaseholder with major condensation damp; in other words I don't have anyone else to blame and I have done my own research. Councils do not accept that condensation damp is the responsibility of the landlord - it is universally acknowledged as lifestyle and down to the resident/ tenant to ventilate.

There is plenty of advice online, stipulating the crazy amount of water (pints) each person produces per day. How exactly do you think the landlord can take responsibility for how long your showers are, or how much laundry you do or how many times you breathe each night? Ventilation is not only required whilst the heating is on, it is required full stop.

My brother and his partner (both work long hours) use a dehumidifier, my parents and I (retired/ part-time) use windows. My neighbours use neither and they have mould: it's not rocket science it's Google.

gamez-over

Now that your tenants are on a periodic tenancy, given what you have said I would think it best to serve them Section 21 notice. It seems like they have been a nuisance!

steveM1978

Some great responses Thanks very much.

An interesting point that someone mentioned was that they wgere the lease holder? The property is a 1920s semi that was converted to flats many many years ago. I own the upstairs and somone else owns downstairs, I am a lease holder not the free hold. The fabric of the property is to blame, all the above points are exactly right and valid. The trouble room has a cold spot, the room has a ventilation brick but it clearly isnt doing the job as good as it should be doing. I have often thought "who is reponsible for the roof? Who is responsible for the walls?" is it me or the freeholder? I will need to read the (very long and boring) lease.

Ps in relation to the gas it had ran out of money, they forgot to put a new card in, the boiler displayed an error message! pair of idiots!

They are on there last chance to be honest the next time they come up with something stupid like "we worry for our health" or "will we be reimbursed" I am just going to go down the section 21 route, (scary as i have never had to do this before so look out for all my questions on that!)

Thansk for all your help and next tennant is getting a fact sheet.

spinningsheep

I have the same problem with mildew in my bathroom, but I don't think the paint is anti fungal. I keep the window open a crack 24/7 yet I still have mildew spots. What is the best way to get rid? I rent too but don't want to bother my landlady for something so minor.