condensation resulting in mould growth in rental property

pd001

tired_dad wrote: »

My bet is that most of the problem comes from tenants drying laundry indoors. Either on radiators or with an airing stand.

A single wash of laundry can have more than 1-2 litres of water in it.

Put the clothes on a stand and that is 1-2 litres of water vapour into the air of the property.

Modern builds are so will insulated and air tight that there is nowhere for this humidity to go.

Fungus likes warmth and humidity. Perfect growing conditions.

Basically I would view the mould and almost certainly a direct result of occupier behaviour.

Fungus reproduces by spreading spores into the atmosphere. There are a whole list of medical conditions caused by exposure to fungal spores and these are becoming more common due to modern building techniques and the tendency of peeps to try and save money by drying indoors. without opening windows.

They will be doing their baby no favours. I would do a bit of research on this topic and try to educate them.

Thanks for your input.

For everyone's information, the house is circa 1900, and is a 2 up 2 down mid terrace. Just in case you are wondering, the loft, although not yet insulated, is bone dry. there are no leaks in the roof

My daughter, and the letting agent, have on different occasions seen washing drying on the radiators and on an airing stand. They have on those occasions, advised the tenant that drying clothes this way can cause condensation problems.
As I have mentioned previously, my daughter has provided the tenant with a dehumidifier.

We strongly suspect, although cannot prove, that the tenant continues to dry washing on the radiators, and an airer. It is also probably a good bet that the dehumidifier is not being used.

As I have said all along the tenant needs to do their part. If they do not wish to do their part, then they cannot be forced.

The only issue that my daughter will enforce straight away is that the tenant gets rid of the portable gas fire. That issue has indeed been raised with the tenant today

My daughter will, in the next two weeks, do the following,
Widen the loft hatch so that in can be insulated.
The loft will be then fully insulated.

In the next month
A decent extractor fan will be installed in the bathroom.

Only after that will she start to 'assist and guide' the tenant in the error of their ways.
My daughter will therefore do her part first, because that is only fair,and then hope that the tenant will do their part.
If not?.. well, only time will tell

Thanks all, i will continue to update this thread and all constructive comments are appreciated.

sniggings

has the tenant got a dryer?

if they use the radiators and an airing stand, sound as if they haven't.

a dryer and the fans, plus a cooker hood should solve this, with the help of the dehumidifier.

pd001

sniggings wrote: »

has the tenant got a dryer?

if they use the radiators and an airing stand, sound as if they haven't.

a dryer and the fans, plus a cooker hood should solve this, with the help of the dehumidifier.

Funnily enough my daughter says that she has seen a drier in the property, at the same time she also saw clothes drying on the rads and on an airer.

The tenant probably thinks that it is cheaper to use the rads for drying clothes rather than use the dryer.
After the work, detailed in my posts above, has been completed then my daughter will 'guide and assist' the tenant in the error of their ways.

The dehumidifier will be removed from the house because
a) it probably isn't even being used,
and according to some of the contributors to this thread,
b) is of little value in helping to solve the condensation/damp problem.

Thanks for your input, it is appreciated

blackshirtuk

pd001 wrote: »

The dehumidifier will be removed from the house because
a) it probably isn't even being used,
and according to some of the contributors to this thread,
b) is of little value in helping to solve the condensation/damp problem.

Thanks for your input, it is appreciated

i would probably leave it there as it demonstrates your willingness to help solve the issue to anyone who might get involved eg local council

undetterred

Must be time of the month for some posters judging on the replies.

pd001

blackshirtuk wrote: »

i would probably leave it there as it demonstrates your willingness to help solve the issue to anyone who might get involved eg local council

Really?
Even though the consensus seems to be is that it is probably not helping much with the problem?
According to others on this forum, far more experienced than me or my daughter in these matters, the key to the damp and mould growth in the rental property is down to lack of ventilation, and not much else.
There doesn't seem much point in leaving it with the tenants, because they dont appear to want to use it.

I guarantee this..
if that machine was being run as intended, and situated in the one front bedroom where they have an issue with mould growth on the window sill, and if the house was properly ventilated, which admittedly means loss of heat, then there would be no mould growth at all.

In winter, my wife dries our washing in our smallest bedroom, with the windows closed and a dehumidifer running whilst the washing is drying, and there is no sign of damp or mould growth.
The windows do not steam up because we use the dehumidifier.

Our house is a 1930 s semi, housing association house, which is kept at the right temp, ventilated as and when appropriate. The dehumidifier is use as and when appropriate, and there is no damp or mould growth.
My wife and I both take long showers, and in winter we only open the bathroom window slightly after we have finished our shower. Our grandchildren stay over at weekends so the house is full of people producing moisture

Thanks very much for your input, it is appreciated

pd001

undetterred wrote: »

Must be time of the month for some posters judging on the replies.

Thank you for your input
What ideas do you have to share with us all, that would help with my daughters damp problem in the rental property that she owns?

sniggings

pd001 wrote: »

Really?

I think they were saying it's evidence the LL has acted on the issue, if they were ever reported to the council, or likewise a deposit issue when the tenant leaves, rather than suggesting to leave it in place because of it's usefulness.

If you make the measure you say, that would be plenty evidence imo, no need to have a dehumidifier there too.

I do believe they have their use, so unless you plan on making use of it yourselves then you might as well leave it put, they could use it, might as well take space up in their place than yours.

pd001

sniggings wrote: »

I think they were saying it's evidence the LL has acted on the issue, if they were ever reported to the council, or likewise a deposit issue when the tenant leaves, rather than suggesting to leave it in place because of it's usefulness.

If you make the measure you say, that would be plenty evidence imo, no need to have a dehumidifier there too.

I do believe they have their use, so unless you plan on making use of it yourselves then you might as well leave it put, they could use it, might as well take space up in their place than yours.

Point taken, thank you.
Perhaps the dehumidifier should be left with the tenant?
I ll discuss that with my daughter

dirty_magic

You have to dry washing indoors in the winter! Not everything can be tumble dried!

I'd genuinely like to know where everyone saying to stop drying washing indoors dry their woolly jumpers etc in winter. If you tumble dry them they will fit a 3 year old!

We bought a dehumidifier to dry washing and it works well so I'd leave it with the tenants and tell them to use it. I have sympathy with them because it really is a pain living somewhere with a mould problem.