Damp in rented flat - tenant's fault?

timefortea

I rent a flat with a damp problem. When I moved in I took pictures of the massive damp patches around the windows and on one corner of the ceiling, and made the LA aware of this. We later painted over these spots with anti-damp paint, which has worked really well, there's no mould in those areas now.

Our bathroom then started to go mouldy as the fan wasn't working and there's no window in there. We reported it to the LA and they sent someone to fix the fan, so we then got rid of the mould that had built up, but it's now come back with a vengeance and the fan is still working. We can't ventilate it any more than we do already without leaving the light on (to make the fan stay on), which I'm not doing because of the electricity bill. Unfortunately I've also just noticed massive damp patches around and behind three of our large pieces of furniture. There wasn't any damp there when we moved in so I suppose it's our furniture that has caused it, but you can't just not have any furniture! I'm trying to find somewhere else (I think the mould is making me a bit ill), could they take money out of my deposit for all of the mould?

jamie11

If your furniture is pushed up against the walls there is going to be no air circulation behind it so any moisture will stay there and cause problems, in the bathroom try leaving the fan running for 10 - 15 minutes after you have showered then turn off the light and fan, that will give the fan time to suck up the excess moisture.

It is a good idea to keep the place at an even temperature throughout because condensation will always be a problem where warm and cold air meets, especially in steamy bathrooms

timefortea

My furniture isn't pushed up against the walls, and I do leave the fan on for 10 minutes after a shower. I think the house is just damp.

What I really want to know is whether they can take money out of my deposit because of it.

pmlindyloo

If you have taken dated photographs and written to the LL/LA about the damp problem then there shouldn't be a problem.

If this has all been done by email/telphone, or without keeping copies etc then get writing now. Send from 2 separate post offices and get receipts. Also keep copies of all correspondence.

Also, is your deposit protected and was there a detailed inventory completed at the beginning of the tenancy?

jamie11

But you said

I've also just noticed massive damp patches around and behind three of our large pieces of furniture. There wasn't any damp there when we moved in so I suppose it's our furniture that has caused it

Do make your mind up.

timefortea

pmlindyloo wrote: »

If you have taken dated photographs and written to the LL/LA about the damp problem then there shouldn't be a problem.

If this has all been done by email/telphone, or without keeping copies etc then get writing now. Send from 2 separate post offices and get receipts. Also keep copies of all correspondence.

Also, is your deposit protected and was there a detailed inventory completed at the beginning of the tenancy?

What do I say in the letter, am I just telling them about the damp problem, or asking them to fix it?

My deposit is protected, and there was an inventory. The inventory they gave us wasn't very detailed, so I annotated it and they signed that to confirm it was accurate. The damp patches on the walls are new so are not mentioned, and the mould in the bathroom only came up a few months after we moved in, so that's not on there, though we reported the problem and they sent someone to fix the fan, so know about it.

Jamie11 - here's what I mean. Our furniture isn't pushed up against the wall, and has been moved even further away now. However, there was no damp in those corners when we first moved in, so technically our furniture being there has probably caused it. Though I don't think I've been an unreasonable tenant by putting furniture towards the edges of the room, rather than having it in a big heap in the middle.

pmlindyloo

timefortea wrote: »

What do I say in the letter, am I just telling them about the damp problem, or asking them to fix it?

My deposit is protected, and there was an inventory. The inventory they gave us wasn't very detailed, so I annotated it and they signed that to confirm it was accurate. Good The damp patches on the walls are new so are not mentioned, and the mould in the bathroom only came up a few months after we moved in, so that's not on there, though we reported the problem and they sent someone to fix the fan, so know about it.

If I were you I would be writing a letter with all the damp problems you have experienced saying when they occurred, what was done about it and the situation as it stands now. And yes, you are asking them to fix it.

Don't forget to keep a record of everything they say. Ask them to follow up with their intentions in writing.

jamesd

If the fan in the bathroom isn't on a timer so it continues to run for some time after the light is off, changing that is one option. If the lighting is a 10W low energy bulb the cost of running it for an hour is one hundredth of a unit. About a tenth of a penny an hour. The fan will cost maybe a penny an hour plus the cost of replacing heat that is also being extracted. So the extra cost for an hour for a shower a day for a year is about £4.

What do you do about getting rid of moisture released while cooking?

Do you dry clothes indoors over radiators or with a dryer that doesn't vent to the outside?

Ventilating and temperature control are the two main means of controlling damp.

Tiddlywinks

How / where do you dry your washing?

How often do you open your windows and for how long?

SuzieSue

timefortea wrote: »

We can't ventilate it any more than we do already without leaving the light on (to make the fan stay on), which I'm not doing because of the electricity bill.

I don't think 10 minutes is long enough for a fan to clear a bathroom after a shower. If you don't keep the fan on long enough then you can hardly be surprised that you have mould. Try keeping it on for half an hour after your shower and see if it makes a difference - if it does than you know what the problem is.

The electricity costs are very little compared to the damage all this mould is doing to your health.

PollyOnAMission

My house very easily suffers from damp problems like this if not properly ventilated, because it doesn't have cavity walls. I am now militant when it comes to using the extractor fan when cooking, opeining windows and using the extractor when showering (and leaving them as such for some time after a shower) and using a dehumidifier in the room whenever I hang clothes up to dry. The amount of water collected in the dehumidifier is STAGGERING!

It might be worth investing in one if you want to prevent the damp, although they are not particulalry cheap to buy and I imagine use a fair amount of electricity to run. I guess you have to weigh up if avoiding the damp is worth it.

This is the dehumidifier I have. It's been going strong for years and makes an amazing difference.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/delonghi-dem10-compact-dehumidifier/206-7994.prd