Advice on Tenant Ventilation & Bathtub Rust – Deposit Liability?

Landlord Discussion Repairs & Maintenance
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Hi fellow landlords,

I’m looking for some advice and thoughts on how to handle a situation that’s come up during a mid-tenancy inspection for my two bed two bath property with two tenants occupying it.

Attached is a photo of the bathtub edge, which shows significant rust damage. This issue has been there for a while and was discussed with the tenant separately via WhatsApp early a year ago — so I’m not planning to raise it as a new concern, but hesitating if I would deduct for this at end of tenancy. This tenant has been with me for 4 years now, professional, always on time for rent.

However, the inspection also revealed mold developing in the ensuite bathroom, which has never occurred with previous tenants. I’m concerned this may be down to poor ventilation habits — not using the extractor fan properly, not airing the bathroom, etc. I’ve now written to the tenants reminding them of the importance of ventilation for both their health and property maintenance.

My questions:

  1. Would you treat mold from poor ventilation as a potential deposit deduction issue, especially if it continues or worsens despite warnings?
  2. How do you usually document this kind of issue during a tenancy to protect yourself when it comes to deposit disputes?
  3. Any suggestions on preventing further deterioration of the bathtub edge (I know it’s cosmetic but it looks bad)?

Thanks in advance for any shared experience or tips!

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There is a liquid enamel you can buy after a sand down Or there are firms who will re enamel for you

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Thanks Colin, I have looked it up on Youtube last year, looks very easy.

However, my question is this only happened during the last two years, and whether I can get tenants to improve ventilation? and see this as a potential deposit deduction issue?

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Tenants and ventilation always tricky. Dep deduction is up to you

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Have you got a humidity sensor fan in the bathroom
?
TBH it will always get worse once it’s started it’s a high humidity area
It’s like the radiators in bathrooms they always corrode no matter what
I usually need to replace every 3-5 years
You would be best off with a acrylic bath

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I have never fitted acrylic baths. Always pressed steel and never had rust on them in 40 years. The enamel on them better than rads tho.

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It has been 2014-2023 ok, and only due to the tenant not using the fan properly, I believe.

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I’ve got a steel bath in a property and it has never shown any rust whatsoever. I had it re-coated about 10 years ago because some of the enamel was wearing off but that’s about it.

How much is it likely to cost you to recoat it @Alice21 ?

Is your fan not on automatically when the light comes on and for some time after it goes off?

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I asked a few online quotes , one came back yesterday asking 265+vat lol

Yes this is the type of fan, but you can turn it off manually from the utility cupboard… I have no control of this if tenant decided to turn it off.

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Is it not cheaper to replace with acrylic tub or a plastic type material that won’t corrode ?

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so not an immense amount and when you take into account wear and tear over years, it’s going to be even less. For issues like this, I always let Ts know that potentially it might impact their deposit. They usually see it pragmatically. When they give notice, I always immediatley do an inspection in detail to flag issues that might affect deposit. I often make deductions. I’ve never had a T refuse one because they have been well informed as to what and why. I’d recommend good comms to approach it the same way. I’d prob tell them you estimate removing £75-£100 from deposit for this and see how they take it.

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Mould and corrosion on steel are genarally lifestyle causes unless of course you have damp.

However, if the tenant has been there over 4 years you will be hit with the wear & tear argument from the DPS and are unlikely to be able to make a charge stick. I found the arbitrators / courts work on a 5 year turn around, i.e. complete new decoration, carpets etc.

I have a tenant who’s kids use a traditional bathroom with a bath as a wet room playground. The chrome towel radiator is all rust, the ceiling paint is peeling, the bath panel is mouldy, thankfully we fully tiled our bathrooms expecting just this sort of neglect from tenants.

Make sure your extract fans are fully functioning and are linked to the lighting with a good run on operation after the light is turned off. Unfortunately the fans require an isolator switch and the tenants can easily turn that off.

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I use unswitched fused spurs, instead of switched fused spurs for these.

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Just do it yourself, buy a so called constant running fan that run when damp. For such a small job is it worth the paperwork time when challenged?

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That is the thing, tenant can turn that off.

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will tenant be able to turn it off? I googled, like this? need electrician to install?

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The isolator switch is exactly that a switch to turn off the power supply to the fan.

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If the tenant pulls out the fuse then the fan stops anyway. (if they know that fact}

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Yes as they have a consumer unit anything can be switched off but they are quiet in a bathroom so they tend not to. Tip 2 trim an inch off the bottom of the bathroom door so it pulls any damp from elsewhere. Tip 3 clean the impeller every few months in my experience tenants dont bother

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I have been in the plumbing industry for 40 yearsand a LL for 20 and never seen a bath rust like that. That edge has been damaged , how I dont know but you can see where enamel has chipped of. I would be interested to know how that happened. I am not sure if it has rusted right through the steel if it has it is toast, it looks pretty bad not light rust.

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