Dealing with damp and mould in your rental property
Damp and mould is an issue no landlord or tenant wants to uncover, but if you do, this guide will help both parties with what to do. As well as who should take responsibility, we look at some of the different types of damp and mould, and identify preventative measures. If left untreated, damp and mould but can cause health problems, so it needs to be taken seriously.
Understanding damp and mould
Condensation damp
Condensation appears when excess moisture in the air comes into contact with a cold surface, so you’ll likely have seen it on cold walls and windows. It can lead to mould growth and tends to be worse in winter. It can be caused by poor ventilation, poor insulation, or faulty heating, and ventilation systems in the property.
Penetrating damp
Penetrating damp is any moisture that passes from the exterior of a building to the interior. It is caused by issues like leaky guttering, porous brickwork, cracks in external walls, and faulty roofing, all which allow water to seep through into a property. The tell-tale signs of penetrating damp are discoloured dark patches on internal walls, and peeling wallpaper.
Rising damp
Rising damp is when water from below a building rises up through porous materials, such as bricks and mortar. When houses are built they have a damp course laid within the walls, near to the ground to prevent rising damp, but it can fail over time, allowing rising damp to happen.
Traumatic damp
Traumatic damp is caused by defects to a building’s internal features or plumbing that allows water to leak. The most common causes of traumatic damp are hairline cracks in pipework or hot water tanks, which may go undetected for a long period but over time can rot floorboards or weaken ceilings. More isolated instances of traumatic damp can be overflowing baths or sinks.
Mould
Damp that is left untreated or if the type of damp isn’t properly diagnosed can lead to mould in a property. Mould is a fungus that can affect people’s health and reduce the value of a property. It can appear in a variety of colours and textures, depending on the type of and extremity of the damp causing it. It could be green, fuzzy, black, or even blue.
Landlords’ responsibilities for mould & damp
In most cases it will be the landlord’s responsibility to resolve damp and mould – certainly if the damp or mould is the consequence of an underlying structural issue. Fixing issues of damp and mould is a legal requirement under the ‘repairing obligations’ set out in Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The Act states:
“The structure and exterior of the dwelling-house” as well as “the supply of water, gas, electricity, and heating” must be kept in working order.
However, in some cases condensation and traumatic damp may be the responsibility of the tenant, so it is important to get an expert’s opinion on the type of damp it is. A specialist contractor will be able to prepare a damp report or survey, identifying the likely causes and recommending the actions needed to fix the problem.
Identifying the causes of damp and mould in rented properties
A damp surveyor will inspect every part of a house that could be contributing to an instance of damp or mould. In some cases it may be obvious visually where the problems are; but if it is not so clear then they will conduct a thorough check inside and outside the building. Readings will be taken using specialist equipment to identify if areas of concern are evidence of live or historic damp.
Internal and external checks
External checks
Outside the house the damp surveyor will check the guttering, pipework, chimneys, roof tiles, and use equipment like drones to get a complete visual picture. Are there cracks in brickwork? They will look for anything that could be affecting ventilation, such as overgrown foliage.
Internal checks
Inside, they will look for signs of discolouration to walls and ceilings, black marks, peeling paint or flaking wallpaper. In bathrooms and the kitchen they will be keeping an eye out for condensation on windows, walls or cooler parts of the room. They will access the loft and see if there is any evidence of traumatic damp from pipes or water tanks.
Improving heating and ventilation
If there is no evidence of underlying damp or mould, and condensation is the issue, then the tenant may have to take some responsibility for improving the ventilation within the building. They could be asked to:
- Reduce steam from cooking, covering pots and pans
- Opening windows in a bathroom, and keeping the door of the bathroom closed
- Open windows in the house for at least 15 minutes each morning, even in winter
- Keep a property evenly warm, especially during the colder months
- Don’t hang clothes to dry inside
A landlord should also make sure that that the roof, guttering and drains are all kept in good working order, particularly after heavy rain, storms or snow.
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