UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hello everyone, please can someone help.
I have been letting my ploperty for theelast 7 yrs to the same tennant. Last octiber they left and new tennants came in. There is now mould appearing in the bedrooms in the corners just above the skirting boards. This has never happened before. Tennant is high rate so agents got someone to go round they have quoted £400 to put things right.  I am horrified about this as feel that it is more of a lifestyle problem rather than a property problem! Although i cannot let thussgo on and have to prorect my oroperty and d what needs to ge done, i am rather annoywd that all the agents have said is that therennant is doing his best.
Please can anyone give advise on this pkease URGENTLY as tge other problem  is i am out of the uk till March so xannot get to see for myself.  Thank you everyone

On the balance of probabilities, it is unlikely your property has suddenly developed an issue that means mould is appearing. It might be the case, but it's unlikely. As it had been let for years previously without these issues and now there has been a change of Tenant, any normal person would point the finger at the lifestyle of the Tenant.

It appears you have an Agent who might have a blurred line of understanding regarding who they actually work for. Agents can often get confused like this, they get paid by the Landlord, but think that they're are actually supposed to look out for the Tenant. Alternatively, they could have quoted you £400 on a job that they are having done for £200 and creaming £200 off the top - have you seen the quote yourself?

Mould and damp and condensation are not things you can often just "put right"... that can take time and effort and multiple attempts to achieve, so it's unlikely you will have a cast-iron assurance that it would be successful.

I have had Tenants complain of condensation and mould in a house. It was a house I previously lived in for 12 years without any such problem. The balance is to advise the Tenants it might be down to them without coming across as being accusatory. I managed to do that and advised them that the heating was on very high and they had no ventilation at all, and they were drying clothes on radiators. I asked them, respectfully, to at least allow some ventilation the house by opening a window a crack, or leaving the patio door open for some minutes per day. In a few weeks they wrote back to me informing me that things were much better.

If a property has adequate heating, ventilation and insulation then problems with condensation and mould are usually a Tenant's responsibility.

Hi,

I would really love to know what is on your agents quote of 'putting it right' seriously I would like to know.

I have learnt a massive lesson on mould - my property hates wallpaper! Plus it is old -  My previous tenants had a baby and asked if they could decorate a room we said yes  - they put wallpaper up and my property went no way!  The next tenants who we know didn't ventilate the property also our pathetic fans in bathroom and kitchen which simply were not powerful enough to get rid of the condensation so these teeny little mould spores said lets move into and behind wallpaper and muiltiply and then spread everywhere.....

Anyway we never had mould before and then we were hit with it - got a report done and then installed Nuaire Cyfan Fans and a Drimaster bought the mould blitzing strong chemical and paint to eradicate it. Ps I don't believe in the mould sprays from your superstores or spraying a little bleach. If I said to you the Report to correct everything was 2K I nearly spat my coffee out......

Anyway good luck in sorting your mould my partner and I did all the work ourselves and the property is totally mould free and we saved a hell of a lot of money!

Thank you both for your replies, unfortunately for us we are not in the UK until March so have to rely on our Agents, but you have confirmed what was on our minds regarding lifestyle re the tenants.  I am going back to our Agents (who don't really seem that bothered) and put my foot down and ask for a full report, photos etc.  Also asking if they are drying washing on radiators, if they have a tumble dryer where is it and how is it ventilated..........won't put everything down but I need to ask more questions.  We know something has changed, for this change to happen all of a sudden.  Thanks again

I had a similar problem recently.The house had been let for a number of years,including 7 years to a couple with a seriously asthmatic child.The only issues relating to mould were rectified with a new extractor fan.A young woman moved in 18 months ago,soon after  a costly makeoever.Within days she was complaining of problems,some reasonable,some very trivial and arguably not my responsibility.Nonetheless,thanks to letting agents who are scared to upset tenants,all problems were put right.
She then took a male friend in to share the rent,and they started complaining that snails were appearing in the front sitting room.I had some cracked render replaced,and he also found the air bricks had been deliberately sealed up.However,the damp had not penetrated into the interior.
Then came complaints of mould in the bathroom tiles,and condensation on the Windows.We had the extractor replaced.
The agents inspected,and gave them a booklet with the usual advice about heat,ventillation, not drying clothes indoors.Her mother was also her guarantor (problems with CCJs)and she wrote a most offensive letter,accusing us of covering up damp walls with new decoration.She said the tenants both had chest coughs and felt cold all the time.For once the agents were fully on my side.
I told her that I thought her daughter should take her quest to find the perfect house and landlord elsewhere.New tenants are now in,and so far no problems.

There are some very dodgy "surveys" advertised,all selling various products.Information from the local environmental health dept (provided to Council tenants) stated that nearly all such problems are caused by lifestyle.
Tenants will insist the are opening Windows and keeping the place warm,but the fact is many of them are saving money by turning the heating off and not using the tumble drier.Don't get panicked into action until you can do some research and look at options.