can i ask them to rehouse me in these circumstances?

sammyjayneex

Hello, I would appreciate any advice. I live in a council property managed by an housing association. I have lived here 6 years. Ever since I have moved in here I have had problems with damp and mould up walls in every upstairs room and ceilings. I have kept windows open.. put on heating.. I don't dry clothes on radiators and I have purchased a dehumidifier that was over £100 which is always running. All this was advice given to me by my council and I have followed it 100%. It still didn't solve the issue and I have has to replace wardrobes, beds, cabinets, draws, cupboards, and other furniture every winter for the past 6 years due to the mould issues and its cost me thousands, I'm constantly cleaning it. Its getting me down. The council did come and put some extra insulation in the roof (the roof is a weird structure) but it hasn't made a difference. The mould is only on external walls and its a semi- detached corner house. what are my rights now? Can I request to be rehoused because this doesn't seem to get resolved. We are also overcrowded ( 2 adults and 5 children in a 3 bedroom house) I have 4 girls and 1 boy. Ive been told they wont rehouse me but am I really expected to pay them rent every week for a cold mouldy house ruining my belongings, I cant afford private rent as I wouldnt never get a deposit or rent upfront or even afford a private rental! and I'm in nom position to buy.

dimbo61

Could you contact Shelter the housing charity.
They maybe able to point you in the right direction with environmental health people.
If you can find out what is the problem with the property.
Does the bathroom have an extractor fan which comes on when you turn on the light.
Do you have a tumble dryer which vents outside.
5/6 people living in a house creates a lot of condensation

Cakeguts

You have said that the council will not rehouse you. So if you ask them to rehouse you what do you expect the answer will be?

Do you use the extractor fan or open the window when someone uses the bath or shower and do you open the window or use and extractor fan when you cook?

FBaby

Have they done an assessment of the cause of the mould? If it is due to condensation then you are not doing enough to ventilate the house. Do you use the dryer a lot and what type is it? You say you heat the house but then say it's cold. Do you open the windows long enough every day in all the rooms?

If the problem is not condensation but a structural problem and the housing association is not fixing the problem then report them to the environment agency.

Davesnave

FBaby wrote: »

If the problem is not condensation but a structural problem and the housing association is not fixing the problem then report them to the environment agency.

I think you mean the Environmental Health office of the local council.

The Environment Agency can't help here.

Old_Git

http://www.envirovent.com/specifier/products/positive-input-ventilation/ You need a PIV system.

HampshireH

It sounds a lot like condensate. Most councils will carry out a damp and mould surveys which includes taking readings of the moisture levels.

Is your heating storage or gas central? To reduce condensation you should have this on a low level so it kicks in when needed not just on or off as the house won't maintain a constant temperature otherwise. Harder with storage heating for obvious reasons.

Why is your house cold? If your heating isn't efficient perhaps that needs looking at. Are your radiators all working. Often if they haven't been used throughout the year bleeding them can be beneficial this time of year.

Do you have a lot of stuff against these walks which become mouldy? If so 're clutter or move the furniture around as they will trap moisture in cold spots & given any mould a surface to grow/ spread on. I.e don't put your sofa to an external wall.

How long do you keep your windows open for? Do you treat the areas with a mould wash? (Not bleach)

Where is your damp? Ground floor only? Top floor ceilings? More info is needed but it sounds like condensation.

The council have no obligation to move you because of it. You could mutual exchange into a bigger house and look for someone looking to downsize.

theartfullodger

sammyjayneex wrote: »

can i ask them to rehouse me in these circumstances?

Look, even if you lived on your own, in perfect health, nothing wrong with the place, earned £150k pa & had £2million in the bank you could "ask them to rehouse you".

But I doubt they would in those circumstances or in the ones you outlined.

Have you carefully followed fully the published complaints process as outlined on council's website, keeping copies of all correspondence? e.g.
http://www.slough.gov.uk/council/complaints-and-feedback/complaints-procedure.aspx

Usually, overcrowding due to "natural growth" (kids...) does not constitute an offence under overcrowding law.. see s.328 Housing Act 1985

The occupier and landlord can ordinarily be fined and/or get criminal record if there is overcrowding: Sadly not enuf prosecutions.

You are at liberty to rent a larger property from a private landlord or indeed purchase somewhere which meets you expectations - and indeed meets your duties to your offspring as a parent.

knightstyle

As others have said it is 99% certain that your lifestyle is causing this mould. So look at what is putting all this damp into the air. This damp in the air will always condense onto the cold outside walls of any house.
Cooking, clothes drying and bathing/showering are probably the main culprits.
Look carefully at ways to get rid of the damp at source, cook in the kitchen with the internal door shut and the extractor fan on, same with bathing and showering, plus open the kitchen, bathroom windows. How do you dry all that washing? outside on a line is best or a dryer which sends the damp air out of the house.
Heating, do you use some form of central heating? If so keep it on low all the time. Plus NEVER use gas or paraffin heaters as they put a lot of damp into the air.
Finally have you thought about a house swap? There are several sites which list council houses where people want to swap.
Don't take any notice of some posters who just criticise without helping.

sammyjayneex

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I have a condenser dryer so it collects all the water in a tank and I never dry washing on the radiators. The kitchen windows are open every day all day even when I’m cooking. The landing window is open continuously but the Landinf wall ( its an external wall as it’s a corner house with the living room at the back of the house and not the front so the only window there is, the landing and it’s tiny) but it still has mould on this wall. In my bedroom there is no clutter or anything pushed hard against the wall, I can’t use one side Of my bedroom because even if there is a few cm away from the wall the stuff still goes mouldy when there is a great gap between the bed and wall. I have a divan bed and can’t even have a headboard because of this. It’s like I can only use half a house. I have a dehumidifier which collects the water in a tank and it gets put in before showers and is left in long after as well. The fan in the bathroom doesn’t work but they have ‘fixed it twice’ but because it’s so poor quality it doesn’t last and at one point the fan wouldn’t even turn off so would go on and on all night making a right noise but it’s supoised to go off at intervals and wouldn’t. It’s heir fault for us if sick cheap materials that don’t last. I’ve reported it twice. The council admitted that the roof is a cause of it and I think it needs reshaping ( the ceilings are not flat and have curves in the corners and other parts of the building but all they did was come and put extra insulation when it really needs big work but they won’t because of the cost)

sammyjayneex

I’m summer everything is fine but as soon as it starts raining and going colder outside all this starts. I hate winter !