Hi,
One of my friend’s tenant complained to the landlord (my friend) that there is mould and damp on the wall and ceiling.
When the landlord visited the property he noticed tenants are not using heating (radiator is not turned on) in the room where this mould issue is.
Tenants said they are using only the other bedrooms for sleeping and they are using this room just for keeping wardrobe and cloths.
Room was full of things (cloths and furniture) and heating is not on.
My friend the landlord advised them to use heating and ventilation, but they say this may be due to building issue.
What steps does the my friend (landlord) should take now to make sure it is not his fault, just in case the tenants contact the council and report to them?
Thanks
Hi George123
I fully understand where U are coming from, though I am a tenant who’s bedroom suffers damp, condensation due to no ventilation. I did use the heaters over night when in bed, electricity is cheaper at night on the tariff I’m on. And I even had them on during the day. But to have a heater on 24/7 is not cost efficient for anyone, it means the tenant is forking out more money than they should. Now alot of people rent cause they can’t afford to buy a property. I understand though it’s the tenants job to check these things before excepting a tenecy. I fully understand the position a landlord is in, as my landlord is in the same position but I like him he is a nice guy. He has been honest and explained no ventilation and tryed to advise me what to do but having heater on number 16 24/7 is not cost efficient what do ever for me along with opening the window each morning which I do. He has said he has a dehumidifier which he will get but could take time. So I don’t think my landlord is a bad landlord or anything like that. But I have wiped the black patches and dots away but they just come back. I do clean and tidy but the continued damp and condensation cleaning is even more of a chore than every thing else but again that’s not my landlords fault it’s cause I have a health condition and find most every day tasks and uphill struggle but I do get there. So I personally do try to keep the damp condensation at bay but it will always come back due to no ventilation. I don’t no many people who have an electric smart meter who have heating being used 24/7 in a room when they are not using it. I live in one room my living room and don’t even have the heating on a day. I’m not sure what the average daily consumption of electricity for a one bedroom flat is, but if I were to do that along with all my other electricity consumption would easily be over £10 a day which is quite ridiculous I think to be honest, I no a guy with no damp, condensation etc. fair enough he’s out from 9 am till 4 pm but he only uses £3 max a day. I am not trying to hassle you or give you a hard time m8 im just explaining it from my point of view in my position. Thanks George123
I wish you well.
Joe
Heat does not need to be on 24 hours a day, Only for a short period.
Had one tenant who within a year was complaining of mould in bathroom. Turned out they never had central heating on so bathroom was never heated, they chose to use electric heaters in other rooms.
Quite simply the room never dried out.
I lived in the property for 4 years previously with no issues. I worked full time and had heating on in evenings and weekends as needed.
Just opening windows allows for ventilation, granted there are properties all with different degrees of problems so may not resolve problem in all cases. Requiring a room to be heated, even occasionally, is not an unrealistic expectation.
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There are plenty of materials from trusted organisations online showing that a room with no heating and no ventilation will get mould. Tell your friend to find some and give it to the tenant. If they continue to refuse to take the necessary action to prevent mould, then your friend would have to find tenants who are willing.
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David122 I understand what you are saying and me as a tenant with a damp room with black patches of condensation which in turn turns to mould I do wipe walls and window frames regularly to prevent serous mould build up. But again it’s due to being no ventilation In the room, or the flat although the bedroom is only room with huge black patches else where is round windows and front door only. It doesn’t matter how many times I wipe and clean the filth away it will just come back and it does. After months and months it gets a bit annoying and frustrating to put it politely. So even if a tenant does take action like I have it still does not solve the issue or problem it’s ongoing and certainly not the tenant at fault or 2 blaim.
There is no great mystery to ventilation. Opening windows for a couple of hours will usually do it. Even if the Council forces the landlord the install trickle vents or passive ventilation, this is little more than a hole in the window frame, wall or ceiling which achieves the same thing. Damp is a different matter. If there are continual damp patches on walls or ceiling then there may be water ingress which the landlord must address.
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I open windows I can’t leave then open when I’m out as I’m ground floor and don’t feel comfortable at night with open windows when I am sleeping as it’s ground floor. Well as much as I get rid of the black patches, you can still see where they were and of course they will come back due to no ventilation and poor heating. And that is common knowledge. I’m not a landlord or involved in renting property but I no this. I don’t want to get environment people out and hassle my landlord in that way, cause I like him and him me, if anything he would probably dislike me if I done that and I could end up evicted or homeless.
The way I see it is, if the damp, condensation or mould Is in the bathroom and there is ventilation or a window you can open, mould should not really build up, there may be condensation but that is expected in a bathroom from the steam from hot water and Me as a tenant cleans my tiles, toilet sink etc. and so should any body with a bathroom.
If there is no ventilation or in my case a window, it’s alot harder to make sure there is no damp or condensation build up leading to mould .But again I clean and there is no black patches on the walks or tiles etc. though I do see drops of condensation on the toilet handle for example which I wipe. So it’s not entirely my doing for not cleaning etc if mould builds up, obviously I try my best.
What about dampness condensation mould in the bedroom especially when it has not been in use for months and continued wiping away black patches on walls and round window it comes back, the carpet even from being hoovered regularly needs shampooed due to the conditions, which I’ll do, I don’t dry clothes in that room, it had been heated, and then window opened after quite a few times and it just comes back. So I don’t and can’t sleep or use the bedroom. Although I do try to wipe the filth away as my Landlord suggested, though it still doesn’t change the fact there is no ventilation, it’s quite simple, if you apply for council housing one of the things they ask is, does your current home have adequate heating and ‘Ventilation’. Along with other things to make the home habitual. Mine does not. So I don’t see how having no ventilation and inadequate heating is the tenants fault, it’s certainly not, in my case anyway.
I could report my landlord to the council yeah, easily but would mean get environment health to investigate and write a letter as evidence but that would probably get my landlord in trouble or cause him alot of hassle and I like the guy. And don’t want him to fall out with me, to then maybe evict me, yeah through the homeless I could get a council tenancy quicker but it could be in a worse area than I am now regardless of the condition of the interior. I should not really have to go to such extremes. So it’s not so easy a ride for the tenant neither really is it.
I was talking generally, not about your situation. However, I accept that ventilation may be difficult with ground floor properties. In this case, tenants would need to then ensure the room is ventilated when they’re at home and properly heated.
David122
I don’t know any body who heats a room when it’s not In use, that is sensible and cost efficient especially if you’re on low income, I do open the window and have heated the room with in reason due to the cost.
It seems to me that most landlords not all though don’t want to take responsibility, me as a tenant I actually try to not bother my landlord cause I like him and him me.
The tenant can heat, clean and air the room via the window. But if I go away for a few days which I do regularly when I come back the room is minging again due to no ventilation and condensation dampness etc so again I have to use excess heating it’s the cost, and extra chores to do, living with a serious mental health condition every day life is an uphill struggle never mind cleaning away damp or mould, I’m quite sure mould can give you breathing problems, I can feel it myself.
If anything the landlord should investigate the cause of damp condensation mould and rectify it so it is no more, he does own the property, the damp and mould is not my fault or doing. It may not be the landlords but he owns it, if I damage something I fix it or pay for a replacement which I have done with the toilet seat just as an example. I could have quite easily got on to my landlord to fix it but I never cause I took responsibility. Simple, it’s childs play to understand. If a landlord can’t or won’t take his responsibilities seriously regarding his tenancy agreements he should not be aloud to private rent his property out.
Just because you know them doesn’t mean that a) people don’t do it and b) that it isn’t a sensible practice. It all depends on the property. I live in a 1960s semi that has (relatively) good insulation throughout. Rooms heat up quickly and cool down slowly. I can therefore afford to keep the heating off in rooms I don’t occupy. My friend who lives in a stone cottage in Northumberland cannot because it costs far more to heat his rooms from cold than it does to keep them all at a minimal 15 degrees or so all the time and then heat each one to 20 degrees when occupied. If he took your approach, he’d have damp and mould and mushrooms under his pillows.
We don’t know your building or its condition so it’s hard to advise specifically.
If you do go away for a few days though and do not heat the property at all and leave no windows on vent then it’s likely it won’t help.
What does your tenancy agreement say about damp and mould?
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for me 1985 bungalow If I put heating on I heat it all . Cavity walls, trickle vents double glazed . 12 inch loft insulation. Use multi fuel burner in cold spells .I did live in a 200 year old mill house in Wales , 2 ft thick stone walls . Now that could be cold ! There again I heated all rooms Never any mould probs
Listen I’ve been seeking advice from many places not just other landlords and most organised etc are on agreement it’s just getting environmental health in, and that’s it, really I did not think I should have to go to such extremes but after feed back on here it clearly is an ongoing trend for private landlords so i am going to email environment health right now to come out this week. Problem solved. I didn’t want to do that but it’s quite clear I need to take action.
I’ve never had problems with damp or mould ever and I’ve lived in some terrible conditions. I have wiped windows and cleaned my bathroom etc but not black patches of condensation damp mould from walls
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Nothing on tenancy about damp or mould, I’ve shown my tenancy agreement to an advisor at cab from what I’ve told them and I am very honest and looking at my tenancy agreement, I am in the right. And I no this, it’s strange that other landlords seem to think I’m not, and environment health, and social housing all say the same from what I’ve explained. It’s just a matter of me taking it further now with environment health to be honest not I want to, cause I like my landlord and him me, it’s quite clear that other landlords online anyway will back other landlords up.it is quite simple to understand, so from my online experience I am going to do what I have to do so i cam live a peaceful life in a secure property with no damp and mould with ventilation.
All along you have said that you don’t want to seek authorities interference, so landlords have offered their opinion taking this into account.
It’s only over the course of threads has more information about what you have and haven’t tried been apparent.
The facts are that in the vast majority of cases tenants are at fault for the cause of damp and mould.
Clearly not in every case but experienced responsible landlords here have offered advice and have stated multiple times to you that they cannot determine your circumstances accurately.
They are not passing the buck, they speak from experience.
If you can’t reach a conclusion with your own landlord through dialog what do you expect from a forum?
- you have said landlord won’t investigate the problem.
- Landlords here advise on what might fix it.
- You say you have already tried it but shouldnt have to do that, or too expensive.
- you’ve sought advice from other places CA etc
You should get the authorities in, as it’s only now and after dozens and dozens of lengthy messages is it apparent you have tried everything. If the information you presented was to the point and complete to begin with we could have all avoided this overly lengthy topic.
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you can tell from the posts that it was going to end this way, we need to stop posting ,as usual nothing we say will make any difference
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I appreciate all your feedback and I certainly have took on what you said thanks for opinions, it is has been good to experience the overall all attitude of private let landlords in general. Thanks for enlighten me 
You should take time to read some of the years and years worth of previous threads of landlords here, their advice and help to tenants recommending they report rogue landlords, sue them or the best course of action. Then you might have an actual opinion that isn’t completely distorted.
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