Landlord help /advice for today

Cherryjack

Hello im a landlord,

The letting agency have contacted me to say on inspection of the upstairs bathroom.. there is mould growing on the ceiling from condensation..
I lived in this property myself for 8 years and never had this problem.. i would always open the window as i do in my own home. Also i had an extractor fan fitted in the property by an electritian as an extra and the letting agency have said this is not strong enough.. and she is opening the window.

I really cant see how she is??

Can you advise what i should do?

Thank you

Mallotum_X

Repaint the ceiling with a antimould bathroom paint - not going to cost more than £15 if you DIY, and remind the tennant to use the extractor, open the window and use the heating.

Not really worth getting into a row with the Tennant if this is the only issue and if its only superficial.

Cherryjack

Mallotum_X wrote: »

Repaint the ceiling with a antimould bathroom paint - not going to cost more than £15 if you DIY, and remind the tennant to use the extractor, open the window and use the heating.

Not really worth getting into a row with the Tennant if this is the only issue and if its only superficial.

Thank you mallotum, great advice :beer:

G_M

But warn the tenant politely at the same time (followed up with a polite letter) that you are doing this as a favour since the cause is actually the tenant's lifestyle - so if it happens again you will have no choice but to charge the tenant next time. Keep it friendly, but you need to ensure more care is taken by the tenant.

Consider putting in a more powerful extractor? Is the extractor linked to the light (so it comes on when the light is switched on)? Does the extractor continue running on a time-delay (5 minutes?) after the light is switched off? If not, consider doing this.

Cherryjack

Thank you G M .. i was wondering what she was doing to make this happen (would it have been simply not airing the room out?)..
Yes the extractor is linked to the light and has a time delay once the light goes off

Lucy_Lastic

I have the same problem with a tennant drying clothes on the radiators. In one bedroom there was black mould above the window and the fitted wardrobe smelt really mouldy.

The tenant complained that her clothes were getting mouldy. Fortunately the letting agent was with me on the inspection and noticed that the trickle vents above each window in the house were all closed. The tenant then realised it was entirely her own fault.

I'm going back for an inspection on Saturday, so let's hope it's all OK. Not sure what I can do if it's not though.

When I lived in the house there was never a problem.

G_M

Cherryjack wrote: »

Thank you G M .. i was wondering what she was doing to make this happen (would it have been simply not airing the room out?)..
Yes the extractor is linked to the light and has a time delay once the light goes off

Then unless she is showering in the dark, the extractor is not powerful enough! (or the time-delay not long enough....????)

If the extractor is not doing the job, the tenant could justifiably claim it is not her fault. OK - maybe she stands in a steaming hot shower filling the room with condensation for half an hour three times a day. But that is her choice.

Between you and the tenant the water vapour needs to be extracted or this problem WILL recur.

Cherryjack

G_M wrote: »

Then unless she is showering in the dark, the extractor is not powerful enough! (or the time-delay not long enough....????)

If the extractor is not doing the job, the tenant could justifiably claim it is not her fault. OK - maybe she stands in a steaming hot shower filling the room with condensation for half an hour three times a day. But that is her choice.

Between you and the tenant the water vapour needs to be extracted or this problem WILL recur.

Thanks GM i will contact the electritian that fitted it and see if something can be done..

Cherryjack

Lucy_Lastic wrote: »

I have the same problem with a tennant drying clothes on the radiators. In one bedroom there was black mould above the window and the fitted wardrobe smelt really mouldy.

The tenant complained that her clothes were getting mouldy. Fortunately the letting agent was with me on the inspection and noticed that the trickle vents above each window in the house were all closed. The tenant then realised it was entirely her own fault.

I'm going back for an inspection on Saturday, so let's hope it's all OK. Not sure what I can do if it's not though.

When I lived in the house there was never a problem.

Oh i hope so for you, thank you ive emailed yesterday asking if she could open the window vents.. ive not been in on an inspection myself so maybe something i should do with the letting agency

Brallaqueen

Bathrooms can be a pain for condensation with the best will in the world, if this is the only place where the mould is growing and the tenant is otherwise excellent I'd not worry too much.
You might want to upgrade the extractor fan to one that detects humidity and stays on for as long as necessary to be on the safe side. Would be an investment for future tenants.
Maybe paint the ceiling with an anti mould paint and leave the tin with the tenant for touch ups in between.

poppysarah

Theres a range of bathroom extractor things that is a heat exchanger.
I always think they make more sense than a standard one (Think they run all the time too)

Could be worth a look as a real long term solution and offering less heat loss for the tenant which also helps the issue.