Unfortunately, damp and mould can be quite a common problem across winter months, and it is commonly found in rooms with moisture in the air from condensation. Bathrooms and kitchens are areas that are often impacted, but for students' bedrooms can prove to be a breeding ground due to the drying of wet washing.
It is important you try and reduce the chances of damp and mould appearing in your home as it can have an impact on your health. If you start to see any, you need to act as quickly as possible because the longer you leave it, the harder it becomes to deal with.
So, what are the top tips for reducing damp in your home?
- Open windows and doors so air can move around. Be careful on high pollen or high pollution days if these are triggers
- Try to avoid drying clothes indoors. If you have nowhere else to dry them, open a window where possible.
- Use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom. Open a window when cooking or after a shower or bath.
- Close the door of the room you are in if you are cooking or showering to prevent condensation in other rooms.
- Try to keep your home at a good background temperature so it never gets too cold. It is suggested that it should be at least 15 degrees in all rooms.
And what do you do if you do have damp or mould in your home? Tell your landlord/letting agent. If they don’t know, they cannot fix it. We advise that you keep a record of all conversations you have with them regarding this or any other issue. This will help if you need to take further action down the road.
You can find a template of a letter you can write to your landlord here.
Things that fall under a landlords remit regarding causes of damp are:
- structural problem
- faulty installation
- leaking internal pipes
- not enough ventilation
- broken boilers and heating systems
- cracked walls or rotten window frames
- leaking roofs, missing roof tiles or faulty guttering
If you have raised this issue and things aren’t fixed, we would advise that you raise a complaint with your letting agent. Their complaints policy should be available on their website, but if not, you can email them to ask for a copy.
Shelter also details how to claim compensation if your belongings have been damaged, or your property is unfit to live in. A list of what you can claim compensation for can be found here.
You can also contact the council regarding an environmental health inspection. The council can order your landlord to fix damp or mould.
If you are having issues with your accommodation, even if it is not related to damp and mould, come through to us and we can advise you of the steps to take. That could also include submitting a complaint to the Property Redress Scheme or contacting the Property Ombudsman or even the local HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) (Housing of Multiple Occupancy) team. Don’t suffer in silence.
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