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Mould in rented house - tenants rights?
squashynose
Posts: 45 Forumite
We moved into a rented bungalow on 9th of December. A 12 month contract, and we've paid up the year's rent in full, to ensure we got the property over another couple. When we read the inventory, we pointed out that there was mould in the fitter wardrobe in the front bedroom. The letting agent read the amended inventory and signed it, as did we. After 2 months the letting agents did an inspection, and the mould, again, was pointed out. She said we needed to heat the room and ventilate... Which we do anyway.
4 months on and the mould is so bad that we've moved out of the bedroom, and have been sleeping in the lounge for 2 months now. My partner has asthma, and recently has been going through his inhalers at 2 a month!! We also both have coughs and headaches etc. pretty much constantly. The mould is now all along the front wall of the house, which is the bedroom and kitchen.
The landlord is blaming us, saying we're not ventilating the house properly. He wont let the letting agents in to even look at it, and is saying he'll come and look in 8 weeks.
The neighbours have told us that the last tenants moved out because of the mould, so the problem was known about, and has been going on for over a year (they moved out in March '10, and the property was empty until we moved in). They also said that the landlord sent someone round a few days before we moved in, to clean the place, which is probably why the only mould we found was in the bottom corner of the wardrobe.
What should we do now? We can't sleep on the floor forever, shouldn't have to, and we both already suffer from health issues. If it comes to it, are we within our rights to move out before the contract is up? Can we get rent back, especially as we've had to sleep on the floor in the lounge? How about our deposit, if he thinks we're to blame? If the landlord and letting agents both knew about this problem, can they legally let the property??
I've had 3 pairs of leather boots go mouldy, and wooden furniture that was against that wall. Should the landlord be responsible for replacing or paying for these?
Thanks for any advice
4 months on and the mould is so bad that we've moved out of the bedroom, and have been sleeping in the lounge for 2 months now. My partner has asthma, and recently has been going through his inhalers at 2 a month!! We also both have coughs and headaches etc. pretty much constantly. The mould is now all along the front wall of the house, which is the bedroom and kitchen.
The landlord is blaming us, saying we're not ventilating the house properly. He wont let the letting agents in to even look at it, and is saying he'll come and look in 8 weeks.
The neighbours have told us that the last tenants moved out because of the mould, so the problem was known about, and has been going on for over a year (they moved out in March '10, and the property was empty until we moved in). They also said that the landlord sent someone round a few days before we moved in, to clean the place, which is probably why the only mould we found was in the bottom corner of the wardrobe.
What should we do now? We can't sleep on the floor forever, shouldn't have to, and we both already suffer from health issues. If it comes to it, are we within our rights to move out before the contract is up? Can we get rent back, especially as we've had to sleep on the floor in the lounge? How about our deposit, if he thinks we're to blame? If the landlord and letting agents both knew about this problem, can they legally let the property??
I've had 3 pairs of leather boots go mouldy, and wooden furniture that was against that wall. Should the landlord be responsible for replacing or paying for these?
Thanks for any advice
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