Actual weeds growing through my kitchen floor

[NickyWiresTeeth]

I say mine but I rent it.

We live in an old converted table and the kitchen floor is damp and disgusting. We don't let our child walk in there. No matter what we clean it with (water, bleach, hoovering), it is still horrible.

The floor is stone and I'm I creasing thinking it might be actual patio. Today I noticed Moss is growing on it and weeds are coming up through the tiles, as well as soil.

The landlord had damp specialists out but heard nothing since. Is there anything else I can ask him to do? This isn't normal right?

[JT05]

Oh my! If you contact the LA they might condemn it as not fit for habitation. It looks like flagstones laid on earth!

[lalalonglegs]

PJ will be along to advise you more expertly, I hope, but I imagine that if it is a converted stable (???), the job was done on the cheap and the flags were either originals that were left in place or were laid at the time of conversion straight onto an earth floor. Either way, they needed a damp proof membrane put down and the reason that your LL hasn't been in touch is that the damp specialists pointed this out and he jibbed at the cost. Do you know when the work was done? It might be worth looking it up on your LA register to see if building control ever signed it off. As it's rented, I would consider (a) moving (b) calling in Environmental Health.

[NickyWiresTeeth]

We can't afford to move :( This place is cheap for what it is (detached house for the price of a small flat) but yeah, reasons like this are why I guess. Don't know when the work was done but will check out the building register.

[clam]

That's not Japanese Knotweed is it? That'll grow through anything.

[NickyWiresTeeth]

Stable yes, sorry!

[NickyWiresTeeth]

Landlord said :

No it's laid on a bed of sand over cement I think There was a plastic membrane also installed. I think we will have to have see the results of the inspection before we decide on the next course of action


I'm pissed off, in the meantime we still have to use this disgusting floor!

[logosthecat]

Weed seeds blow about in the air, so if you have windows/doors open, they will get in. Generally, houses are too dry for them to sprout! But it looks like you have a damp issue that is making your kitchen floor a viable place for them to sprout!

I can also see quite large gaps between the flooring stones, which is where the dirt is gathering! They need to be properly filled and sealed.

Bleach will see off both weeds and bloom because of damp. It won't solve the underlying problem, but a good scrub with a dilute solution (wear old clothes) then drying it off with a cloth before putting a desk fan on to get it totally dry might give you some piece of mind about the hygiene while your landlord faffs.

[MissMargie]

I think old houses sometimes had paving laid onto earth.

So the floor will be the same temperature as the ground outside. This could cause condensation on the stones I would think. But this was the flooring for hundreds of years. If you've washed it it's probably fine to walk on with thick soled trainers or slippers.
Buy some cheap carpeting from carpet shop or buy some second hand rugs from the local furniture auctions.
I would buy several rugs to put a thick layer between you and the floor in the winter to try to keep the heat in. Remove them to air them in the summer.

My DD is in a v old cottage - the floor is tiled but probably over slabs, not joists and wooden floorboards, as the floor is freezing in the winter.