condensation resulting in mould growth in rental property

pd001

Snakey wrote: »

The best way to prove yourself right on the subject of "lifestyle" and "doing [one's] part" would be for you or your daughter to swap houses with the tenants for the rest of the winter and see whether the problem follows the tenants or stays with the property.

Not keen?

Been there, and nearly done that!
My wife and I did live in the house 2 winters ago, for just short of 3 months.
We used a dehumidufer to assist in the drying of clothes, just as we do today in our own home.

We did leave the bathroom window ajar when taking a shower, and we did have a small condensation issue.
We did not have a mould issue at all and we didn't have anywhere near the problems that the current tenant is having.

The tenant prior to this one didn't have the massive issues that the current tenant has. However they were moved out due to accruing rent arrears.

So, the current issue is partly the fault of my daughter for not installing proper ventilation, but a great deal of the problem we feel is down to the way the current tenant is using the house.
They will eventually be guided in the error of their ways and although good payers if they do not play their part they will be moved on.

pd001

richardc1983 wrote: »

No one here is saying a bad word against the tenant. In correct terms were referring to the issue as the humidity produced by the tennant. This damp issue is not caused by external factors such as a water leak or damaged roof wall cavity etc.

Correct.

I have never once said that the tenant is a bad tenant. I have made it very very clear that as far as we are concerned, the tenant is a good tenant
Anyone who thinks that we have said anything detrimental against the tenant needs to get a pair of glasses and re read this thread.
I have even admitted that my daughter is partially to blame!

The issue is a lifestyle problem, nothing more.
Simples!!

System

dirty_magic wrote: »

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!

Airing cupboard or bathroom. Just don't slap them on the radiator in the front room.

sniggings

dieselpower1988 wrote: »

Airing cupboard or bathroom. Just don't slap them on the radiator in the front room.

airing cupboard would have to be big!

Some kind of direct heat is needed to dry clothes inside, in my experience, clothes start to smell if left to dry naturally, if not dried quite fast.

I use a dehumidifier and the radiator in the bathroom.

pd001

dieselpower1988 wrote: »

Airing cupboard or bathroom. Just don't slap them on the radiator in the front room.

That seems reasonable to me

pd001

sniggings wrote: »

airing cupboard would have to be big!

Some kind of direct heat is needed to dry clothes inside, in my experience, clothes start to smell if left to dry naturally, if not dried quite fast.

I use a dehumidifier and the radiator in the bathroom.

Again, seems reasonable to me.

jbainbridge

I've read the whole thread but can't see where the portable gas heater fits in? (this may be down to wine!) ... but that will produce lots of moisture.

My main thought is that insulating the property will help the occupants heat it properly ... as you say the loft is not insulated so the property will be difficult (expensive) to heat. I think your daughter is doing the right thing sorting out the lost insulation.

pd001

jbainbridge wrote: »

I've read the whole thread but can't see where the portable gas heater fits in? (this may be down to wine!) ... but that will produce lots of moisture.

My main thought is that insulating the property will help the occupants heat it properly ... as you say the loft is not insulated so the property will be difficult (expensive) to heat. I think your daughter is doing the right thing sorting out the lost insulation.

The portable gas fire is in the lounge.

We think that because the lounge is the only heated by a central heating rad, albeit a fairly large one, the tenant uses the portable gas fire to
1). heat that room alone, thus not needing to heat the whole house using the gas central heating. ( main reason)
2). Boost the heat in the lounge on a cold day.
There is no normal gas fire in the lounge

richardc1983

The tenant can use the gas Central heating in the lounge only if they want, just turn the trv's down or off in the rooms they don't want to heat.

pd001

richardc1983 wrote: »

The tenant can use the gas Central heating in the lounge only if they want, just turn the trv's down or off in the rooms they don't want to heat.

Yes they can.
But we think, that because they are getting cheap, maybe even free bottled gas from a friend/mate of theirs, then they prefer to heat their lounge with that portable gas fire.
Hopefully it should by now be gone, although at this time we have no way of checking.
My daughter does not intend to inspect the property, or send the agents in to inspect the property, until some of the work that she has planned, which I have detailed previously, is completed. That will give the tenant more than ample time to get rid of that gas fire.
However we will ask the contractors that are used to complete the required work, to look out for a portable gas fire and give us, not the tenant, feedback.
My daughter is a fair landlord(lady)

Richard, i have a question for you.
You have PIV? You also have a fan in the bathroom that has a permanent trickle facility?
Therefore doesn't the air brought in via the PIV system leave the house using the point of least resistance?
Does air blown in via the vent which is situated maybe on the upstairs landing, then leave via the bathroom trickle vent, and not travel further through the house?

I know nothing of your setup, so I am making huge assumptions here, but as the input and the output, ie the trickle fan in the bathroom, are usually both upstairs, then how does the PIV system ventilate the whole property?