Just wanted to add, I appreciate your information and advice, whoever has replied, thank you. I just want to get it sorted out. I didn’t want to have to make a big thing of this. It’s obviously going to ruffle feathers and I like living here.
@Paula28 apologies def wasn’t trying to patronize. Hadn’t seen earlier post. Many people dont realize the importance of ventilation or that lots of damp is due to condensation and lifestyle.
And I should have started by saying… sorry to hear about your problems - that’s obviously a worry and it’s great that you are aware about what’s needed to maintain a property and obviously a good tenant
You’re totally right it’s not your fault if none of the windows open and that’s going to make avoiding condensation/damp very hard. LL needs to fix that and/or find ways to improve the ventilation (whether vents/extractor fans, allowing windows t o open, a dehumidifier or whatever).
Meanwhile I’d agree getting the council environmental health is the best next step, telling agents /LL you have called them in as the place is at risk of becoming uninhabitable due to the lack of ventilation, and you and LL need it sorted to avoid a large fine for the LL (up to £30,000). Council also have power to take emergency action and bill the LL if LL fails to fix following whatever they recommend.
Depending what environmental health recommend, Id probably (reluctantly) suggest investing in a good whole house dehumidifier- which recommended ones such as the pro breeze 30l low energy dehumidifieris under 200 quid. (I use a meaco ddl8 zambezi myself in a flat that is prone to condensation in corners). Tell LL you are doing that as an emergency solution and ask them to pay for it.
Good luck
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Thank you for your kind words. Much appreciated. I’ve found the landlord. Do you think I should approach them myself? As I don’t want to cause them problems if the agents are not relaying messages. Also, thanks for the recommend. I’ll look into getting that humidifier
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@Paula28 yes I’d approach LL. Seems odd if they are an architect and hadn’t thought lack of ventilation and windows that don’t open would be ok tbh but maybe they over trusted their builders doing the renovation or the estate agents or just didnt think about it
Good luck
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Well, apparently, after speaking with neighbours, they have a bad reputation for this kind of thing. Wish I’d done my research before renting
@Paula28 sadly there are some bad ones out there (agents/builders/LLs). On these fora someone else was raising an issue recently where LL had let a place with heating on ground floor not working. They may need a fine to learn the error of their ways unfortunately.
Good luck
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Write a firm email to them stating that it is a tenant’s right to have the Landlord’s address for service. Ask them for it and state that if you don’t hear from them within 24 hours, you’ll escalate this to the redress scheme that they are legally required to be members of. Ask them for the redress scheme address.
Might also be worth mentioning that the redress scheme will also be interested in hearing that you have had no timely response to a potential Category 1 hazard.
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Go back to Environmental Health and insist that they act.
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I’m giving the landlord until tomorrow because I want to give him reasonable time to look at the damp. Currently he’s replied saying the wall just needs to dry out due to renovation in summer 
a friend who used to be a builder said it needs lining out or sorting asap. Is not suitable to be sleeping near it with my health, it’s rising damp, potentially with penetrating damp
So, landlord said in an email to agents that when its dried out they’ll paint over it. I am appalled. I was trying to protect myself from being named a bad client. And protect them from being reported. I care about the property, I like it here. I understand how to care for an old property. This is unacceptable, I am not s pushover and will be straight back on the phone (and creating a paper trail) tomorrow morning to the environmental health. They have already assured me that it’s something like a hazard 1 or whatever. The thing is, since I had my accident a couple of years ago, I’m half metal and have to stay and work form home most of the time. If the landlord will respect me then I’ll respect them.
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The bionic woman !! Are you old enough to remember the Bionic woman a tv series?
Ask LL how long it takes to dry out? It’s brickwork that’s been painted. If there was fresh pointing/Mortar it would take max a week to fully cure. Plaster can take a few weeks but usually is a week. And how will it dry anyway when there is no ventilation. It’s nonsense and LL obviously knows it
Follow up every phone call with an Email setting out what you said and their response so you have a dated record.
Good luck
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that is a tight landlord not to insulate . plasterboard and skim a brick wall.
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Goodness, you poor thing! I can’t fathom how the landlord was happy to rent his property out to you given the details you have described here. Before I read through the details, I noticed from your photos something I have had experience of in my own home, when we blocked out the door from the kitchen to the garden in order to create French doors from the living room to the garden instead. We discovered our blunder when damp started to appear along the width of where the old door was, and like yours, about a couple of feet from floor level. We had previously installed a damp proofing system by injection and tanking (for the lower ground floor) utility room. But the area immediately beneath the old kitchen doorway wasn’t treated, and therefore was unprotected from the elements.
Lesson duly learnt, we treated that area by injection, and to be on the safe side tanked the inside of the wall too, which may have been a bit overkill, but it put my mind at rest! Anything that is below ground level really should be tanked too - speaking from experience.
So do find out if and when any dampcoursing was undertaken for your home in the past, and if it is still under guarantee (usually between 20 and 25 years). It could be useful to know, if anything else arises in any part of the property in the future (excuse the pun!). But in the case of that blocked doorway, my guess is that it isn’t damp proof protected at all. And if it was blocked recently before you moved in, then that explains why a couple of months later you have discovered the problem.
Regarding the windows - it is actually against the law to rent accommodation with windows that don’t open, or won’t open because they’ve been painted over, or have faulty locks. Especially on ground/first floors, because they are potential escape routes from fire; whether or not you are physically able to climb out through a window, other people may need to and it is still an entry/exit point in the event of fire and rescue services. Was this checked off on any moving-in document or inventory check-in paperwork? ie. noted as an opening and lockable window with a key? Your landlord’s building insurance will be significantly impacted in the event of fire, which god forbid, ever happens.
You have a case, that is for sure. Keep doing what you’re doing, with the input from the external agencies. You are not being troublesome, believe it. It is your landlord and the agents’ negligence that is the spotlight now. I sincerely hope you come to a resolution sooner than later and the best of luck..
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Thank you @Karine1 and everyone else for that matter. I appreciate your support. I sent a polite but firm email around an hour ago and said I am seeking legal advice, the council and environmental advice tomorrow. I honestly can’t believe he suggested I wait until it dries and he’ll paint over it! Even I’m not that stupid. It’s a very old building and used to be a war bunker downstairs. My bedroom is okay because its lined out (these are all downstairs - the living area is up a few steps), but when I need help, there’s nowhere for anyone to sleep. It’s only a small place. I rented it because with the shape of the stairs I can pull myself up and climb down quite safely but slowly. Apparently this is a conservation area, which is lovely, it’s going to be really nice when it’s finished. Maybe I rushed. It was the feel of the place though. Upstairs, beautiful wide original floorboards, old iron fireplace and massive ceiling with iron girders and wooden beams. All open plan. Even my occupational therapist said it would be ideal for me. Like you, I don’t think there’s any damp proofing. But I’m not the owner. I wish I’d have noticed back in July/August. But all I could think of at the time was who would take me with my little dog. It also has a lovely courtyard at the back.
I’m taking deep breaths and writing everything out in a timeline. I have a paper trail. This is really sad because I’m actually training in Ministry from home and my studies are really indepth. I see and smell the damp all the time and the only thing I can open is the front door to let air in. Lesson learned! Its been a very long time since I rented because we own property (my ex and I). But things change. Anyway, I’ve waffled on long enough. The landlord will be thinking how can a Minister be so nasty. The thing is I can spot a liar a mile off. I really hoped we could get along.
Onward and upwards. Thanks again. I’ll get a humidifier and start the project tomorrow 
.
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sounds like the conflict is still ongoing…
Ephesians 6:12
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@Karine1 well said and totally agree. LL should be on “Rogue Landlords…” - invite the TV production co to visit… and report the LL to RIBA (or whatever professional body he/she is a member of)
@Paula28 it’s not nasty to ask to get what you are paying for - somewhere habitable that won’t harm your health.
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This looks like rising damp
Nothing silicone dpc would not cure
However it takes as long to dry as it did to get there
Silicone takes six weeks to cure from injection and the. It can take a while for the wall to dry out ( it’s been as long as two years )
Sometimes you need to reinject
You can get it done yourself and take it off the rent cost if you are having no luck
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You’ll be amazed at what a dehumidifier will show you too. The amount of moisture they draw in is incredible! Take photos of the full water tank, and note the days you empty it out. This will add irrefutable evidence to your case.
I would also highly highly recommend this : (Kit APT20WTFLRGBBND) HoMedics 5 in 1 TotalClean™ Air Purifier - Small. It cost me £57.00 two years ago. It was for our bedroom which suffered from water ingress from the roof down the fire/partywall of our terraced house, causing a black mold to such a degree I got acute bronchitis - I’ve never been so sick.. It took months to fully dry our after the works were done. This baby will transform the quality of the air that you’re breathing.. Because if you are breathing damp mouldy air in a woefully ventilated small place there will be spores and other nasties entering yours and your dog’s breathing passages, and that is a fast track to respiratory problems over the long term. It’s got different settings and is incredibly quiet too.
Get the spare filter too, it sounds like you might need it over the long term. (Kit APT20WTFLRGBBND) HoMedics TotalClean Replacement 360 HEPA-Type Filter for HEPA AP-T20 Tower Air Purifier - £17 approx. It’s well well worth the investment. While your dehumidifier is doing its job, the purifier will help you breath easy. Top tip..
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If it was a war bunker , Is the problem room underground ? If the wall has damp earth against the other side of it, the wall will be suffering from penetrating damp.
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i don t know about get it done yourself DPC . . You have to get right down on floor level to drill and inject ,not that easy and 30 year g/tee . I wonder if because Grade 2 listed the brickwork must be left bare and not plastered up, not that it should affect the dpc, if that is the problem. Such a job needs landlords permission. Without a plan of the place and more pics ,a diagnosis is tricky
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