Issues with letting agents/landlord regarding damp/mould

catshark88

Excellent post FBaby.

I find it hard to believe that the landlord is just being unreasonable, when you admit that he has been so helpful in the past. Could he just be fed up, trying to help you when you are still drying clothes inside and not ventilating/ heating the place enough?

I don't know, as I haven't seen the place, but it would be helpful to look at the problem with a slightly more open mind.

I hope that you get it sorted and enjoy your home.

SnooksNJ

fairy_lights wrote: »

Honestly what are people expected to do? If you don't have a garden or the space/money for a tumble dryer then you have no choice but to dry laundry indoors. I really don't see how it can cause damp though providing windows are opened for ventilation.

I would go to the Laundromat instead of breathing in mold spores and causing damage to a house.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/the-cost-of-drying-clothes-in-your-home-114924829.html

Red-Squirrel_2

FBaby wrote: »

And you really think that houseowners never have to cope with this issue? We have issues with mould and damp in our very well kept owned house, which became a bit of nuisance considering I suffer from a mould allergy! What do you think we have done? All the things that have been advised here. Keep the place warm, not dry clothes inside, put a dehumidifier. There is still some, the house is naturally damp, but it's not a structural issue and certainly not one of health and safety that makes it inhabitable, we deal with it as we can and accept it is part of the house we chose.

Do you really know what inhabitable means? Certainly not having to cope with a bit of mould and damp, especially when they are easy solutions to try to make it better in the first place but one refuses to spend a couple of pounds to deal with.

Would OP be much happier if the landlord agreed to get the dehumidifier and then increase the rent by £50 a month? I really think you need to pick your battles.

But, when we do all of that as homeowners, we also have all the benefits of being homeowners which the OP doesn't.

Renting and owning are completely different, there are positives and negatives to both and one of the payoffs for the downsides of renting is supposed to be that your landlord is responsible for the lion's share of maintenance etc.

I know that you're trying to say that its not unreasonable to take certain steps to keep a home comfortable, and that's a fair point, but comparing owning and renting is apples and oranges.

FBaby

but comparing owning and renting is apples and oranges.

I don't think it is different when it comes to deciding what is habitable and what isn't. No one, whether you are renting or owning should be made to live in conditions that are inhabitable. My point is that many home owners live in homes that show some sign of damp/mould and they don't go crying that their home is inhabitable because of it. They just deal with the issue just like it's been suggested to OP.

dirty_magic

The problem is an owner with a serious mould issue can do something about it. Walls can be cavity insulated and extractors and air vents can be installed. A tenant relies on a landlord who obviously doesn't want to spend money on these solutions. Most problems are caused by the construction of the house itself, and while lifestyle can reduce it only an owner can fix the problem.

[Deleted User]

The FB is not a homeowner, they are tenants. That's why they sign a tenancy agreement. Once the fixed period is up, they can get given notice at any time. Its a huge difference.

The contract between a LL and tenant is about having a habitable home (which is why environmental health will contact the house owner/LL rather than the tenant to fix the problems). The home will never be theirs. A buyer is buying the fabric of the building, it doesn't have to be habitable.., and they will own it providing they pay a mortgage off if there is one. It will quite often cost them less than renting the equivalent would, over time.

Consequently, mould and damp if due to problems with the fabric of the house, are the home owners/LL's responsibility.., not the tenants. What we started off saying, was there is a tendancy to blame the tenant for damp and mould, and quite often it is down to a problem with the house, not the tenant. If there is no damp course membrane, or an ineffective one.., or a gutter problem, or a leak, or a roof problem the LL refuses to fix.., why is it ok for the LL to say 'its your problem.., stop drying your clothes in the house, spend £200 on a tumble dryer (and pay for the electricity), buy a dehumidifier (over £100 even second hand.., I did it) and pay for the electricity, or spend an afternoon a week in a launderette.., because its your problem.

Its not. Its the LL's problem because he is only renting out the property to the tenant short term. He gets the house back. The bricks and mortar are his. Not the tenants. The tenant is paying for somewhere to live, not bricks and mortar they will one day own.

Pete9501

deannatrois wrote: »

Consequently, mould and damp if due to problems with the fabric of the house, are the home owners/LL's responsibility.., not the tenants. What we started off saying, was there is a tendancy to blame the tenant for damp and mould, and quite often it is down to a problem with the house, not the tenant.

I am not sure its a problem with the house but the lifestyle of the tenants. Doesn't matter how well a house is insulated, if there is insufficient ventilation then the water vapour from showers, cooking and washing is just going to build up. Limiting the central heating to a couple of hours a day isn't enough and doesn't work, it needs to be on longer to dry the house out. No mention of a chimney which is a shame because a coal fire doesn't an excellent job of removing condensation.

The solution doesn't rest with the LL but the tenant heating and ventilating the property sufficiently to keep the condensation in check. This might include a tumble dryer or de-humidifier as already suggested.

dirty_magic

Pete9501 wrote: »

I am not sure its a problem with the house but the lifestyle of the tenants. Doesn't matter how well a house is insulated, if there is insufficient ventilation then the water vapour from showers, cooking and washing is just going to build up. Limiting the central heating to a couple of hours a day isn't enough and doesn't work, it needs to be on longer to dry the house out. No mention of a chimney which is a shame because a coal fire doesn't an excellent job of removing condensation.

The solution doesn't rest with the LL but the tenant heating and ventilating the property sufficiently to keep the condensation in check. This might include a tumble dryer or de-humidifier as already suggested.

This is exactly my point! The ideal solution really is to improve the ventilation, tenants are just told it's their own fault for daring to have a shower! And our flat had ridiculous storage heaters so we had hardly any control over that too!

FBaby

The reason why I have this thread at heart is because my mum had to deal with a tenant who gave her the same grief over some mould in the bathroom. It wasn't bad, just unsightly. My mum told them that they needed to open the window and open the vent, but they complained that it made the bathroom cold and didn't want that. They then started to say that it was her duty to have a full survey and remedial work done. She explained to them that the house had a survey as before renting, she had considered selling the property and damp didn't come up as a problem at all. She also explained that she had herself lived in the house for 10 years before they moved in and not once had had a problem because she took steps to ensure the room was well ventilated. Still they gave her grief. Inevitably, she gave them notice to leave at the end of the tenancy. Surprise surprise, new tenants in since last Summer, and at least inspection, not one trace of mould.

I think if you are not prepared to take actions to help with the problem before expecting more radical steps, don't be surprise if you find yourself out of the property replaced by someone willing to do that.

dirty_magic

Fbaby I agree that bad tenants can make the problem worse and some people just aren't willing to help themselves, but at the same time you shouldn't have to constantly have windows open and hang washing out in rubbish weather just so it's not in the house. It has to be an issue with the house, otherwise everyone would have mould!

The only reason I get annoyed is because people always assume it's the tenants fault, even when they're good tenants. We treated our flat like it was our own, and I tried everything to stop it but if the ventilation isn't good enough you're fighting a losing battle.