Damage to my Rented property - not my fault! Advice please!

mmmmchocolate

First, I'd like to mention that I'm not the sort of £$%& who deliberately damages rented property and hopes to get away with it. The living room carpet has suffered damage due to an accident, and I'm quite happy to admit to that and have the cost of a replacement taken off my deposit when I move out.

The issue I have is that my flat suffers from a terrible damp and mould problem. I've mentioned this to the landlord on a number of occasions and he is not willing to deal with the problem (he offers suggestions like "try leaving the windows open when you're out" or "keep the heating on all the time"). A lot of the window blinds are now damaged by mould, and the walls behind my furniture are in a horrible state.

I'm worried about what will happen when I move out of the flat - I know I won't be getting my full deposit back, but if the deposit is not enough to cover the costs of cleaning and redecorating, can the landlord try to get more money out of me?

The damage is not my fault, and a lot of my own things have been damaged by mould as well. Unfortunately I haven't documented the occasions where I've complained about the mould, and have only ever done so verbally.

I know he can refuse to return my full deposit (which is unfair, but I'm pretty much resigned to) but can he try to get more money out of me?

poppysarah

Get a dehumidifier.

dancingfairy

the cost of the carpet you probably will have to suffer from your deposit. However it is calculated based on how old the carpet was when you moved in, how long you would expect a carpet to be good for etc so you should not have to pay the cost of a brand new carpet- unless you were there for a very short time and it was brand new when you moved in.
With regards to the mould - have you tried things like keeping all doors shut when cooking/showering etc to stop humid air spreading? using an extractor fan if there is one in the kitchen, opening windows, getting a dehumidifier? I have heard a lot of mould problems are caused by lifestyle issues but obviously it's hard to tell over the internet.
Have you tried to get rid of the mould with some kind of bleach/mould remover? is it all over or mainly on outside walls? Do you store a lot of stuff close together and resting up against outside walls?
I have suffered with mould and damp and it is horrible and some flats/properties are much easier to keep mould /damp free than others unfortunately.
You could always try your local council environmental health officer and see what they have to say.
I hope you get it sorted.
df

HappyMJ

Have you left the windows open as much as possible and is the heating on?

mmmmchocolate

I've done everything I can think of to stop the mould coming back - I can delay it, but it always comes back in the end. It is entirely on the outside walls of the property and it's not a problem I've had in any other property so I don't think it's lifestyle related.

At this point though, I'm past caring about getting rid of the mould - I want to move (and still would without the mould issue) and I just want to know if my landlord is going to try to extort more money out of me when I do!

neas

prob damp proof course or damp getting in through teh walls. This is why i refuse to have my home cavity wall isulated as it bridges the gap and can let damp penetrate through.

moromir

mmmmchocolate wrote:

the walls behind my furniture are in a horrible state.

mmmmchocolate wrote:

It is entirely on the outside walls of the property

These comments suggest a condensation problem to me. The fact that you haven't experienced it in other properties is irrelevent unless they were identical builds.

Have you ensured that you are taking all reasonable precautions such as:
- Opening windows when cooking and bathing/showering.
- Not drying any laundry indoors.
- Using any provided extractor fans/dehumidifiers.
- Keeping the property well heated throughout the day (ie not coming home to a freezing flat and then whacking the heating on maximum).
- Keeping all airbricks, vents etc open and unblocked.
- Wiping up condensation at least daily in window recesses.
- Keeping furniture well away from the walls, especially exterior to allow sufficient airflow.

You do have a duty to maintain the property in a tenant like fashion and that does include managing condensation if you have a problem, even if you're 'past caring', if not managing it causes damage to the property then I would be preparing myself to lose some of my deposit.

mmmmchocolate

Thanks everyone. I am preparing to lose some (or all) of my deposit, but what I really need to know is, can the landlord try to get more money out of me, in addition to not returning my deposit?

N79

mmmmchocolate wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I am preparing to lose some (or all) of my deposit, but what I really need to know is, can the landlord try to get more money out of me, in addition to not returning my deposit?

If you have caused more damage than the value of the deposit then yes, your LL can ask you to pay any additional amount of damage that they can prove (and can go to court to ask them to force you to pay).

I agree with moromir that this sounds like condensation. Have you found the air brick(s) and checked if they are blocked? If they are blocked because the LL has painted over them or some other building fault then that would be evidence that the LL is at least partially responsible for any mould damage.

mlz1413

When are you hoping to move out? if it is over a month away then write (WRITE) to the LL and advise the damp problem still exsits even though you have tried his verbal advice of leaving the windows open and having the heating on as much as you can. Request that LL comes to inspect as your own possesions are being damaged.

When the LL is there point out the damage you are responsible for and say that you are aware this is your fault and that you intend to claim off your home insurance / or request a value from the LL for this aspect.

The LL maybe able to check the gutterings etc and ensure that the problem is not something he should be fixing.

Jowo_2

mmmmchocolate wrote: »

...It is entirely on the outside walls of the property and it's not a problem I've had in any other property so I don't think it's lifestyle related.

The majority of mould/damp problems are considered to be tenant lifestyle issues (albeit often not helped by the design of some properties) rather than maintenance issues.

Typically the mould comes from condensation due to the failure of tenants to adequately ventilate and heat the property (therefore there is nothing odd about the landlord suggesting you open windows and keep the property properly heated).

The reason why the mould could be worse in the area you cite is that typically the vapour settles on cold spots (such as where the walls face outside rather than internal ones where there are neighbouring properties which are typically warmer).

If it is a maintenance issue, you should be able to identify where the damp is coming in - such as broken guttering, missing roof tiles, leaking pipe, failed damp course, etc. So where is the source of the damp if it is not you? Have a good look round.

The following leaflet is a good source of information to help you determine if it is your lifestyle, or the property, which has caused the mould, plus how to treat it.

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