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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Can our landlady demand this?

50 replies

cherryburton · 15/09/2011 12:32

We have no tumble dryer and dry stuff either by hanging it out or over the banisters. Our landlady has said that in the winter we can't do that and we'll have to get a tumble dryer to stop condensation/mould in the house.

We're skint and paying for a tumble dryer is not on our list of things to do. Can she really demand that we do this? She's said that if we don't and the house gets damp we'll have to sort it out. We got through winter last year without a dryer and the house didn't rot...

OP posts:

TeeBee · 15/09/2011 13:41

She can't force you to buy one. Up to her if she wants to provide one. But as others have said a tumbledrier is worse. I guess you can tell her you will dry your clothes at the laundrette - and then either do or don't (she needs to proviode notice before she enters the house anyway). Or get her to buy a dehumidifier, which is great for helping to dry clothes if you get one with a laundry mode and, of course, draws all the moisture out of the air.

CoralRose · 15/09/2011 13:43

No she can't... carry on as you were.

QueenStromba · 15/09/2011 13:55

There was a note from our landlord when we moved in telling us not to dry stuff indoors, it wasn't in the tenancy agreement because it is completely unenforceable. We humour him by hiding the airer if he's coming around. The airer lives in the sitting room which incidentally is the only room in the house that doesn't get mould growing around the windows.

kelly2000 · 15/09/2011 14:03

I do not think she can force you to buy one, but I think if you cause damp or other damage she can make you pay for it. However, dryers can cause a lot of condensation themselves.
Why not get a cheap drying rack, and a dehumidifier, or at least put it by a slightly open window.

ViviPru · 15/09/2011 14:06

Agree with everyone else, but for your own convenience I can highly recommend getting a dehumidifier. Our old house was prone to condensation and it worked a treat. We'd shut it in a room overnight with the wet laundry and it'd be dry by morning. It didn't actually cost that much to run either.

I was tempted to leave it for our tenants, but I was worried they'd be put off renting the house if they thought there was a condensation problem. They have their own means of ventilating the house which was another thread altogether

schroeder · 15/09/2011 14:06

Years ago when I was a student there was terrible damp in the shared house I lived in (think black walls ).

Landlord droned on and on that we must not dry our clothes in the house; it turned out the roof was leaking.

I have lived in my current house for ten years, we do not have a tumble dryer and have never had any problem with damp.

It is a total red herring for her to say the damp is down to your washing-what next, no washing up? No cooking? ridiculous IMO.

Original poster

cherryburton · 15/09/2011 14:29

It is mental, the rest of the house is completely fine, there's only really a problem in the bathroom. (And only one patch of the ceiling, DH thinks it might have something to do with the insulation in the loft? It's not down to lack of ventilation, there's an extractor fan and we've left the bathroom window open since about March!)

It is actually one of the warmest houses I've ever lived in - it's a terrace and I think we're getting the benefit of everyone else's heating! We hardly had to have the heating on at all last winter, which is great as gas prices are going up by about 20% any minute now aren't' they?

OP posts:

Woodifer · 15/09/2011 15:27

Our roof isn't leaky, but with por insulation (read cold walls good for air vapour to condense on) and double glazing (read not much airflow) - we have to be really careful to open windows for drying inside, we have a rack that rests off the landing banister onto the opposite wall of the stairwell (imagine a wide ladder leaning against wall over stairs resting on banister).

We also have to put heating on (even if just for an hour) every day - from about now on, to combat humidity. Example - if we don't, the clothes on drying racks won't dry for a good few days and will smell fusty/ need re-washing.

ViviPru · 15/09/2011 15:55

OP We had exactly that problem, and our house was EXACTLY as you describe. It turned out the pipes in the loft needed re-lagging. This solved the problem with the bathroom ceiling.

BaronessBomburst · 15/09/2011 16:07

How does a tumbledryer cause damp? I'm genuinely confused here! Mine has an pipe to the external wall and vents everything out into the garden. And failing that I've seen pipes hanging out of doors and windows. Do I have a damp problem in my garden then?

DreamsOfSteam · 15/09/2011 16:10

baroness not all dryers have a pipe that goes out side they just release the moisture into the air inside the house which makes it more humid and prone to condensation and damp

Original poster

cherryburton · 15/09/2011 16:12

We don't really have room for one even if we wanted one. It was suggested that we put one in the back bedroom. Bonkers.

OP posts:

PeneloPeePitstop · 15/09/2011 16:28

Actually the LL has zero say over how you live your life in that house, as long as it's not illegal and causing nuisance to neighbours. As long as you return the house to the LL in the same state that you received it in there is nothing they can do.

Also, "unfair" tenancy clauses (I use "" as it's such a subjective term) have been thrown out of courts, these include no children and no pet clauses, even no smoking ones.

Let me put it this way if the LL attempted to evict for drying washing inside it'd be very shaky grounds.

(obviously the I'm not a lawyer disclaimer applies, but I'm pretty sure that's what you'd be told on the mse renting forum)

amicissima · 15/09/2011 16:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsBethel · 15/09/2011 16:48

The landlord is being unreasonable.

But bear in mind this woman can ask you to leave at two months notice. Best not piss her off.

I'd point out that some tumble dryers could make it worse, and suggest a compromise: to open up some windows upstairs and downstairs to air the place in the mornings and in the evenings. That will certainly avoid damp, and is a nice thing to do anyway.

Helenagrace · 15/09/2011 18:37

The landlord should provide you with a tumble dryer if she insists you use one. Even if you had a tumble dryer, however, there would still be loads of things you couldn't dry in it (things with beading, wool items, linen items etc) what are you supposed to do with those then?

carabos · 15/09/2011 18:42

Scaryteacher and others I have one of the Lakeland electric airers and haven't used my tumble drier for nearly 2 yrs. The electric airer is FAN BLOODY TASTIC - run, don't walk to Lakeland and get one. Cheap as chips to run and you can dry absolutely everything on it - and it means the kitchen is toasty warm when you come down in the morning....

aquashiv · 15/09/2011 18:47

You should open the windows. It can ruin the windows if they are made of wood I know as I did it.

welliesandpyjamas · 15/09/2011 18:48

carabos is it the one with a cover and the hot air is blown in to it?

carabos · 15/09/2011 19:19

wellies no, it's called the tower airer I think. Looks like a normal airer but the bars are heated. It costs £70 odd but worth every penny imo. Have a look on their website.

welliesandpyjamas · 15/09/2011 21:11

Thanks carabos :) Very similar and cheaper ones on amazon too.

cecilyparsley · 15/09/2011 21:27

I've never used a tumble drier, but I'm quite fond of spin dryers :)

aldiwhore · 15/09/2011 21:33

rogermelly we rent of The Duke of Laidback!!

But I do love a tumbler, we seem to have so much washing in the winter months and if we didn't have one I'd have to buy clothes that match the walls as I HATE laundry everywhere.... from an eco PoV OP you're doing nothing wrong, and as long as your house is well ventilated (open windows are marvelous) then mould shouldn't be an issue at all (in my non-extensive understanding).

I agree that there is a compromise/room for discussion. Our ancient tumbler died recently, we have picked another up for less than £100, reconditioned... not a condenser but one with the 'comedy tube' (that's also very useful for sci-fi fancy dress if you're into looking like Robbie the Robot), and THAT has to go out of an open window or damp WILL become a problem.

If I were a Landlord/lady (I quite fancy a title) then I'd probably buy one if it was that much of an issue to me.

SpamMarie · 15/09/2011 21:35

Tell her if the house is damp, it is probably due to problems in the walls such as trapped moisture and leaks. I'm pretty sure anything like that would be her responsability. Millions of people dry their clothes indoors during the winter. If the house is well built and not in need of repair, it won't cause a problem.

mumdrivenmad · 15/09/2011 22:57

try showing her this article
www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/east-hampshire/faulty_electrics_spark_christmas_day_house_blaze_1_2303367

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