Mould in a flat

snowqueen555

Hi, thinking to buy a ground floor flat with mould. I'm wondering how much this is likely to be structural issues or lifestyle. The flat is quite musty and humid. The building is fairly new, 20ish years old. Most of the mould is on the wall facing the outside, the small bedroom which has mould on all 3 sides that face the outside.

Due to the dry weather I'm guessing this is from the winter, and has mostly been wiped away, which is why it's yellow is most places.

The windows have small amounts of mould as well and the ceiling!

https://imgur.com/a/AIDIKVC

What do you all think? Thank you for your help 

RedFraggle

Could be condensation from indoor drying and lack of heating and ventilation. External walls are colder.
Hard to say without knowing how it's been lived in. Was it a rental previously?

WIAWSNB

snowqueen555 said:

Hi, thinking to buy a ground floor flat with mould. I'm wondering how much this is likely to be structural issues or lifestyle. The flat is quite musty and humid. The building is fairly new, 20ish years old. Most of the mould is on the wall facing the outside, the small bedroom which has mould on all 3 sides that face the outside.

Due to the dry weather I'm guessing this is from the winter, and has mostly been wiped away, which is why it's yellow is most places.

The windows have small amounts of mould as well and the ceiling!

https://imgur.com/a/AIDIKVC

What do you all think? Thank you for your help 

That is a classic wardrobe-against-the-wall coupled with excessive-moisture-production scenario. 

In a 20-year-old flat, it's hard to imagine it's anything else. 

Any chance of a link to the property, so folks on here can hazard at its likely construction?

But I'd say - tho' I'm not an expert - that this is almost certainly, 99% likely, a lifestyle issue, and won't be a problem for you.

Unless you, too, are sloppy :-)

Lorian

Agree with both posts. Increase heat and ventilation and of course clean the mold off properly and re paint. 

Make sure it has effective extractor fans for the hob and bathroom and make sure they are in humidistats or are always used with at least 20 mins run on.

MyRealNameToo

snowqueen555 said:

Hi, thinking to buy a ground floor flat with mould. I'm wondering how much this is likely to be structural issues or lifestyle. The flat is quite musty and humid. The building is fairly new, 20ish years old. Most of the mould is on the wall facing the outside, the small bedroom which has mould on all 3 sides that face the outside.

Due to the dry weather I'm guessing this is from the winter, and has mostly been wiped away, which is why it's yellow is most places.

The windows have small amounts of mould as well and the ceiling!

https://imgur.com/a/AIDIKVC

What do you all think? Thank you for your help 

Your buying so make sure you get it checked properly to ensure its nothing else but would agree that it looks like condensation.

Extractors will help but given its a flat there may be limited opportunity for external extraction and you may need freeholder permission to put new holes in walls if the kitchen currently has a recirculating hob extractor. Similarly any more substantial changes like new windows or air bricks 

Eldi_Dos

@snowqueen555
Go back to the property and check the state of the roof, any tiles missing or slipped flashing, if all in place and in good order.Then check gutters and downpipes,gutters clear and in good order, if you can give the downpipes a few raps with knuckles or head of a screwdriver to see if they sound hollow or if blocked there may be water in them.
Then have a good look at ground near walls, any sign of moisture or mould growth in that area.

If all these checks are clear I would agree it could be lifestyle of previous occupants that have caused the problems.

If ever moving into a property where there is musty smells or mould it is a common instinct to put air fresheners and diffusers in to improve the smell, but I would urge anyone to hold off and just rely on ventilation and cleaning until you are happy, then use air fresheners and diffusers if need be, you dont want to be masking any source of smells until you are happy with property.

snowqueen555

Thanks for the replies so far 

WIAWSNB said:

Any chance of a link to the property, so folks on here can hazard at its likely construction?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/165379580#/?channel=RES_BUY

Its a lot messier inside, I am pretty sure they use Ai to touch up the pictures.

snowqueen555

Eldi_Dos said:

@snowqueen555
Go back to the property and check the state of the roof, any tiles missing or slipped flashing, if all in place and in good order.Then check gutters and downpipes,gutters clear and in good order, if you can give the downpipes a few raps with knuckles or head of a screwdriver to see if they sound hollow or if blocked there may be water in them.
Then have a good look at ground near walls, any sign of moisture or mould growth in that area.

If all these checks are clear I would agree it could be lifestyle of previous occupants that have caused the problems.

I wish I did this the first two times I went over there. I made a post elsewhere and most people there are saying not to purchase, so I am a bit conflicted.

twopenny

It appears to take the run off from the house on the left in the Rightmove photo, and yours as well with only one downpipe on your property. I'd have a look around that and the back.
That's a long run of guttering on the end of the house.
The large tree will keep moisture there keeping the bricks cold in winter. There is algae on the garden wall also indicating shade holding moisture too.

It shouldn't be impossible to get air circulating inside. Certainly the portions around the skirting seem due to furniture placed against it, lack of air flow.
Heating and airflow will help.
The part near the ceiling is more worrying. That's a huge expanse of cold brick on the end.

Can you get in and wipe your finger along the mould. See if it's dry or comes off?

You might be able to improve it but getting rid of altogether might not happen. 
Are the internal walls plasterboard or brick? Plasterboard on a house that age I would guess. Another downpipe, insulation?

If it's in a great location for you I'd be tempted. If everything else is perfect. 

Eldi_Dos

snowqueen555 said:

Eldi_Dos said:

@snowqueen555
Go back to the property and check the state of the roof, any tiles missing or slipped flashing, if all in place and in good order.Then check gutters and downpipes,gutters clear and in good order, if you can give the downpipes a few raps with knuckles or head of a screwdriver to see if they sound hollow or if blocked there may be water in them.
Then have a good look at ground near walls, any sign of moisture or mould growth in that area.

If all these checks are clear I would agree it could be lifestyle of previous occupants that have caused the problems.

I wish I did this the first two times I went over there. I made a post elsewhere and most people there are saying not to purchase, so I am a bit conflicted.

Nice looking property but it is good to be cautious.Looking at the link the property appears to be lower than the parking and grassy area which is something to consider.

Go back and have a look and do more checks, I would pay attention to path area round the property see if you think it is area that could be damp in wet weather.

You could even take photos of where wall meets ground and post them on here,there will be posters with experience of the construction and able to advise.

WIAWSNB

snowqueen555 said:

Thanks for the replies so far 

WIAWSNB said:

Any chance of a link to the property, so folks on here can hazard at its likely construction?

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/165379580#/?channel=RES_BUY

Its a lot messier inside, I am pretty sure they use Ai to touch up the pictures.

I can't line up that floor plan with any property shown. Which one is 'yours'?
Anyhoo, I repeat - almost certainly this was down to poor lifestyle - folk who thought they had to keep windows tightly shut in order to keep warm. Or who dried their washing indoors to save leccy.
Nothing to suggest a 'leak' or water penetration that I can see. In the extremely unlikely event that the roof has issues, this is a Freeholder problem, and all flats will need to contribute. But there's now't to suggest the roof.
Express your deep concerns about damp issues and death-by-mould, and start with a low offer...
Is what I would do :-)