Damp around my windows - My fault or letting agents

jj_5

Been meaning to post this for a while but it's been very busy lately!

We rent (myself and OH) and the letting agents visited a few weeks back to inspect the property. I let them know about 1 or 2 problems and showed them the bedroom windows. There's a slight dampness around them at the bottom/sides.

The girl immediately said that we would be "held responsible" for this should it not be cleared up before moving (not that we have any plans to move in the near future). There's no problems with the other windows in the house and we haven't pushed any furniture up against the walls to contribute to this dampness. The house is essentially just as it was when we moved in (around a year ago).

So my question is... who IS responsible for fixing this?.. surely the dampness is caused by their own windows being kak and to pin the problem on us is unfair? I've been opening the windows every day for 15 minutes but as you can appreciate in the dead of winter this is not atall ideal. I've also wiped it down once a week with a cloth but it still aint shifting:T:A

ACG

Im not sure how you can be held responsible for that unles syou have done something.

If not then it could just be wear and tear, but im not sure in the long run its good for your health. Id be thinking you should be complaining to get it fixed. But without seeing it then its difficult to say.

Old_Git

is it damp or condensation

olly300

Damp around the bottom/bottom sides of the windows can be caused by condensation dripping down from the glass of the window on to the sill and then the surrounding walls.

When you get up in the morning wipe the window down, both the glass and the sill, with a cloth and then it should prevent the dampness going on to the wall.

Unfortunately if the window is:
1. Single glazed, or,
2. Double glazed without a trickle vent, or
3. Old double glazed,
then you may get this problem.

It's a normal function of living and there is nothing you personally can do to stop it unless you don't sleep in the room. You could buy and run a dehumidifier but the ones that work cost roughly £180 so you may as well just wipe the window down each morning.

In regards of being charged for the cost unless the landlord or letting agent indicated to you that you should deal with condensation problems and give you a leaflet on how to deal with it, then no they can't charge you.

G_M

http://www.rla.org.uk/landlord/newsletter/december2010/HowtoReduceCondensation-Factsheet.pdf

jj_5

olly300 wrote: »

Damp around the bottom/bottom sides of the windows can be caused by condensation dripping down from the glass of the window on to the sill and then the surrounding walls.

When you get up in the morning wipe the window down, both the glass and the sill, with a cloth and then it should prevent the dampness going on to the wall.

Unfortunately if the window is:
1. Single glazed, or,
2. Double glazed without a trickle vent, or
3. Old double glazed,
then you may get this problem.

It's a normal function of living and there is nothing you personally can do to stop it unless you don't sleep in the room. You could buy and run a dehumidifier but the ones that work cost roughly £180 so you may as well just wipe the window down each morning.

In regards of being charged for the cost unless the landlord or letting agent indicated to you that you should deal with condensation problems and give you a leaflet on how to deal with it, then no they can't charge you.

Thank you, they haven't although the girl obviously advised me to wipe the window sill down. The condensation thing you describe is exactly what's happening. Drips down onto the sill and it's went a bit black.

It's not huge but I don't want the letting agents getting some idea in their heads that I'm responsible for this (and should pay for any eventual remedy).

The window is double-glazed and it's a fairly new house maybe 10 yrs old

moromir

olly300 wrote:

In regards of being charged for the cost unless the landlord or letting agent indicated to you that you should deal with condensation problems and give you a leaflet on how to deal with it, then no they can't charge you.

Sorry but thats completely erroneous advice. There is no obligation for the landlord or his agent to provide a tenant with information on how to remedy condensation issues. Advisable, but in no way required.

The tenant will have an obligation to behave in a 'tenant like manner', which would include managing condensation caused by their actions, unprompted by a landlord or their agent, i.e. ventilating and wiping down after cooking and bathing for example.

When condensation is not wiped away, mould can start to grow resulting in damage to wall decorations and soft furnishings. The landlord can propose deductions (the deposit scheme will have guidance on what is reasonable) from the deposit on these grounds, and provided the proposals are reasonable and evidence produced to establish the damage has been caused over the term of the tenancy, the landlord would have a good chance of recouping their losses, especially if they can show they've made reasonable provisions, such as trickle vents, extractor fans, a good heating system etc.

jj_5

moromir wrote: »

Sorry but thats completely erroneous advice. There is no obligation for the landlord or his agent to provide a tenant with information on how to remedy condensation issues. Advisable, but in no way required.

The tenant will have an obligation to behave in a 'tenant like manner', which would include managing condensation caused by their actions, unprompted by a landlord or their agent, i.e. ventilating and wiping down after cooking and bathing for example.

When condensation is not wiped away, mould can start to grow resulting in damage to wall decorations and soft furnishings. The landlord can propose deductions (the deposit scheme will have guidance on what is reasonable) from the deposit on these grounds, and provided the proposals are reasonable and evidence produced to establish the damage has been caused over the term of the tenancy, the landlord would have a good chance of recouping their losses, especially if they can show they've made reasonable provisions, such as trickle vents, extractor fans, a good heating system etc.

Surely I've done all I can to prevent this damage though, by wiping down the window sill, which I'll continue to do.

It is taking some shifting though

moromir

jj_5 wrote:

Surely I've done all I can to prevent this damage though, by wiping down the window sill, which I'll continue to do.

It is taking some shifting though

You mentioned it had gone black, this happens when it hasn't been cleaned away and has been left to sit so mould starts to grow. In which case you need to clean it off properly with a weak bleach solution (check the net for the ratio and don't use it on delicate surfaces) and then continue to wipe down every day/more often if necessary as well as vent etc.

Callie22

The Dettol mould and mildew spray is great for cleaning up this kind of thing, but do use caution if you buy it, as it will bleach paint, fabric, carpet etc so you need to be very careful when you're using it. However, it does contain fungicides so it does seem to stop the mould building up so quickly.

neas

a £3 bottle of mould and mildew spray when you leave will bleach all of it away,... I sprayed it on a black patch when we moved in once and didnt even wipe off and it had all dissapeared .

Bleached white and kileld i guess. Alway spray around before leaving a rental makes life easier.