Important Information with respect to your responsibilities to Damp and Moisture
You are expected to properly ventilate and heat your home so that damp doesn't build up. This is sometimes called 'acting in a tenant like manner'.
Before lodging an issue about condensation, mould, damp or moisture please read below and try making any adjustments as mentioned below. Test this for a week and then if it continues please register an issue with us. Unfortunately if it is found to be an issue related to lifestyle then any call out charge will be need to be paid by you.
Ventilation and controlling moisture
Everyday activities like cooking, showering and drying clothes create moisture in your home which can lead to condensation.
It can help if you:
cover pans when cooking
use extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms
close internal doors when cooking or showering
leave a gap between furniture and external walls
dry clothes outdoors or use a vented tumble dryer
open bedroom windows for 5-10 minutes when you get up
Heating your home
Try to keep your home properly heated. It usually helps to have a low background temperature of at least 15 degrees in all rooms.
3 Types of Damp & Moisture
Condensation (Likely Your Responsibility)
Condensation is the most common form of damp in rented properties.
It appears when excess moisture in the air comes into contact with a cold surface, such as a window or a cold wall. It can lead to mould growth and tends to be worse in winter.
The most likely cause of this is you are not ventilating or heating the property properly.
It can also be caused by poor insulation, or faulty heating and ventilation systems that are the responsibility of the landlord.
Penetrating damp (Landlord Responsibility)
Penetrating damp is caused by water coming through external walls or the roof. It can also happen when there is an internal leak or plumbing problem.
Because penetrating damp is caused by repair issues it is your landlord’s responsibility to deal with it.
Rising damp (Landlord Responsibility)
When moisture beneath a building is soaked up into the bricks or concrete it is known as rising damp.
Rising damp is hard to deal with. Some buildings, for example older properties, are more vulnerable to rising damp. Sometimes it can be caused by a repair issue.
If it's a repair issue such as a broken damp proof course your landlord should fix it.
If it's a problem with the building itself your landlord may be instructed to carry out works if the council thinks the damp is a hazard.
Reminder You May Be Charged - 1. Please make sure you attend. Where our contractor has arranged a time with you to attend and you postpone, cancel, don't show up or where it is your fault for the appointment not proceeding you will be responsible for paying the call out charge for the contractor and potentially any restocking fee for parts. 2. Where the fault, issue or damage, is put down to your or other tenants, permitted occupiers, or guests actions, you will be responsible for paying for the repair. These terms are already part of your Tenancy Agreement.