Ongoing battle with landlord (well, estate agent) re washing

It's absolutely crap that they can say this. Unfortunately it's quite a common rule- it was the same in my old place. Not sure whether/how they can enforce it.

Check your lease with a fine tooth comb for any clauses relating to where you can and cannot dry laundry.
Check it again for the powers of 'block management' to prohibit or allow activities in the units and outside them.
If the lease doesn't prohibit drying outside and if there's nothing to indicate the 'block management' can issue diktats to residents, then carry on.

This is terrible advice I’m afraid. None of these phrases (nor most of the actual words!) appear in a template AST tenancy agreement (in the UK) and why would they?! This is fantasy land advice.

It also doesn’t mean the tenant can do whatever they want and ignore their landlord (or their agent) or the managing agent. 🙄

In the OP’s position I’d actually be more concerned by this:

4 CARE, MAINTENANCE AND REDECORATION OF THE PROPERTY
4.1 The Tenant must take reasonable care of the Property, any items listed in the inventory and the Common Parts (if any). This includes (but is not limited to):
(a) taking reasonable steps to keep the Property adequately ventilated and
heated so as to prevent damage from condensation;

In addition to
3 USE OF THE PROPERTY, PETS AND PROHIBITED CONDUCT
Section C: Tenant’s obligations
3.4 The Tenant must not do anything to or on the Property or any Common Parts which may reasonably be considered a nuisance or annoyance to the occupiers of neighbouring properties.

Suggest the OP checks to see if the extractor fan is included in the inventory that was done when she moved in. If yes, the landlord is responsible for fixing it but if not, it’s down to the landlord’s goodwill assuming it’s a private rental.

They told you in the contract that you can only dry washing in the designated area.

Check your lease with a fine tooth comb for any clauses relating to where you can and cannot dry laundry.

Check it again for the powers of 'block management' to prohibit or allow activities in the units and outside them.

If the lease doesn't prohibit drying outside and if there's nothing to indicate the 'block management' can issue diktats to residents, then carry on.

Look into your LA's landlord rules wrt mold, and look at your lease too, for responsibilities of the landlord.

Complain to your LA about the mold. In your photo, it looks as if there's a spot above the blind where water has damaged the ceiling.

I dry my clothes inside with a humidifier (as a homeowner) but would do the same in your situation. I dont want mold in a house I rented or owned.

Cant understand why you are resistant to something that would improve your life for £80.

I wouldn't want to dry my washing out the front that's very scruffy

Either use a launderette or buy a humidifier

It’s pretty standard for most leasehold flats to not allow the drying of washing outside and is usually a condition within each leasehold agreement. So a landlord allowing this to happen could easily be in breach of their own lease and the freeholder can take legal action against them.

So either dry your washing inside or use the area outside that you’ve been told you can use.

The mould is a separate issue. If you have no bathroom window and your extractor fan doesn’t work properly then the fan needs to be fixed. And if the mould continues after that, talk to your agent / landlord again. If you can prove that it’s the flat rather than your lifestyle, they should provide you with a solution such as a dehumidifier. However, it may be down to your lifestyle in which case any costs to resolve it (and any damage caused by the mould will actually be on you as the tenant causing it).

We had a tenant in my building complaining about condensation in his flat and how it was causing mould etc and blaming the landlord who was then blaming the freeholder. The freeholder paid for an investigator who confirmed it was all down to the tenant and both the tenant and landlord got landed with the bill.

The other way is washing machine/clothes dryer and then immediately on radiators, they come out dry within 1 h ....in the summer similar , just on chairs on wide open windows

Hang in in the back gardens.

Upon buying ourhouse we were prohibited to dry clothes in the front garden and put a fence higher than a certain point.
When we lived in a very old cottage we had to utilise the laundrette, once a week, baby in the sling laundry in the pram there and back in 2.5hrs every Wednesday.

If it's not in your lease I'd ignore them if you can

I think your lease is ambiguous at best. I think on one reading it definitely does say that you should only be drying clothes around the back which I assume is the “designated drying area”. It could be argued that drying washing at the front is “around” the property and since it’s not a designated drying area it would be a breach. There are other interpretations- especially since they refer to condensation which is only an issue inside- but it’s unclear.

In reality it would take them ages to do anything about it but you do need to be careful just in case you might need a reference.

I would email them asking where the “designated drying areas are” and that they have formally agreed to vary this clause by allowing you to dry clothes inside. Then I’d get a heated airer and a dehumidifier.

Are you in England or Wales or Scotland? I would call up your local authority housing dept & ask for advice on the basis that the mould is making the flat unfit. That’s the real issue here. The exact rights you will have will depend on where you are.

Ring the Environmental Health department at your local council. They can enforce the landlord to do repairs and/or fine him/her.

Yanbu

I rent out a flat and would be very happy this was done rather than black mould creation!

Unless its in the contract then they cant do anything. Id also check if they have a black mould section to say its not their problem if you create mould ... which of course would be contrary to their current position

*sorry didn't read full thread... i see u have a clause about creating mould. Very odd 🤔 on their part

Your current contract will cease to apply from May as the Renters Rights Act comes into effect. Fixed terms, such as the one I assume you are in, will cease to exist and you will probably find yourself in a periodic (rolling) contract which you can end with two months notice.

OK so just seen this, I read that as saying you can't dry in or out and so you need to use a launderette! And yes, it says you cannot dry inside.

I’m not surprised other tenants have complained. Drying washing in January outside the front of flats on a main road? D’you dry it all out there? Bed sheets? Knickers? Towels? Bras? Sorry but that must look pretty dreadful. I’m surprised it doesn’t blow away or get nicked.

Many house builders have clauses in the lease about this type of thing. I worked for Redeow homes in the 90s and they had this clause. Nice hotels always state you can’t hang towels over the balcony.

Buy a humidifier from Argos for £30 and keep the heating at 20 degrees while you’re at work. Keep wiping the mould and keep the trickle vents open.

Yep your contract (like most others) don’t allow drying outside, but you’re lucky you have a designated drying area.
The mould is a much bigger problem though.

I know this isn’t the point, but I can’t recommend a dehumidifier highly enough. I use ours whenever I am drying washing inside and it’s brilliant - not too expensive to run either

Yes, it is a thing.

Is there anything in your tenancy agreement abut drying clothes outside being prohibited? Assuming you are in England, I'd be writing the landlord a letter along the following lines:

Dear [Landlord's Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to seek clarification regarding your recent instruction that as tenants, we are not permitted to dry clothes on a line/airer outside.

I have reviewed my tenancy agreement and found no clause prohibiting outdoor clothes drying. Additionally, I have observed that other tenants in the building continue to dry their clothes outside without issue. This raises concerns about consistency and fairness in the application of rules.

Furthermore, the alternative you’ve suggested—drying clothes inside or in the bathroom—is not practical. There is no window in the bathroom and as you are already aware the extractor fan does not work and space is extremely limited in a small flat, and we are already experiencing issues with mould
, which could be exacerbated by increased indoor moisture.

As you are aware, landlords have a legal obligation under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 to ensure that properties are free from damp and mould and are safe for habitation. The tenant should NOT have to bear the cost of this when its not related to our living practices but would be if we followed your instructions of drying our washing indoor.

Given these circumstances, I kindly request that you either:

1. Permit outdoor drying of clothes, or
2. Provide a suitable alternative that does not compromise the health and safety of the living environment.

I would appreciate a written response at your earliest convenience. I am, of course, happy to discuss this further if needed.

Good Luck!

I have a dehumidifier and it has a drying setting so you can put it in a room with wet washing and close the door. I have quite a large house and I run one - a large one - in a central location and it deals with whole house. Honestly the amount of water it pulls out of the air is amazing and its easier to heat dry air. They seem to last for years too.

I've never owned a tumble dryer. A decent humidifier over night really works. Do the washing in the evening. Leave the dehumidifier on over night. People say it works best in a small room, but we have a washing rack over our stairwell and the dehumidifier works well in that airy space.