To ask landlord to replace expensive custom blinds

[PossiblyUpossiblyNot]

I live in a private rented flat and have been here three years.

I have continued problems with damp caused by the windows which comes back each time I treat it. You can see some of this in the picture I will attatch.

Landlord knows about it and has had the place redecorated but it comes back.

As a result of this happening constantly the white blinds look awful, not helped by the fact I have to use mould spray on them regularly which has began to weaken the fabric itself. Three years of this happening and they look shit.

Confession: I have a child with ASD who is obsessed with the blinds and keeps pulling the weights out of the bottom which is also driving me mad and contributing to me wanting to change them.. but they are shit nevertheless.

As you can see the windows are huge so the blinds will have to be custom made I assume.

I can't afford to replace them myself so would I be unreasonable to ask the landlord to?

I'm asking to gauge who's responsibility you ladies think it is before I potentially make myself look like a CF.

I think it's your responsibility to replace them but ask their permission and I'd keep them aside incase the landlord still wanted them

This is was the other day before I treat them with mold spray for the 100th time

I've had a builder come and have a look and he said it's the windows that are the problem, landlord has no intention (or probably funds) to replace the windows, so if I have to deal with this ongoing I would much prefer darker coloured blinds.

Ah I suspected that would be the case which is why I held back from talking to LL.

I'm disappointed as the windows themselves aren't my responsibility and they are the main cause of the problem. There's no way I could afford to replace custom blinds of that size

No way would I spend hundreds on blinds on a rented flat. They would be useless to you if you left. OP, I would definitely ask.

I think it's the landlords responsibility to replace as you can't replace them if he won't replace the windows.

That was my thinking too honeygirlz, I won't be here indefinitely but don't want the place to look scruffy and unappealing whilst i am.

I keep the place clean and tidy yet the blinds are terrible. When they're closed it looks like a scruffs flat from the outside, embarrassing.

I would ask for curtains on the basis that if the mould is going to be a reoccurring problem then you can regularly take the curtains down to wash them.

(I would also ask for curtains because I would not want office blinds in my home).

He needs to be treating the damp problem not just decorating over it, if furnishings are being ruined then surely he's responsible?

Also a good point Nancy

If several here agree then I'll definitely ask. We have a good tenant/LL relationship but I'm aware he doesn't do this as a career, he only has this one BTL flat so probably doesn't have large pot of cash for things like this.

He definitely has more than me though

I would much prefer curtains myself Blue. This flat was a commercial property before being repurposed hence the windows and blinds. It's not homely at all.

Unfinished yes I agree. When it was redecorated the decorator treat it with something but warned it would just keep coming back.

The windows are the problem. There are several things 'wrong' with the place but this is the most frustrating and I'm not in a position to move.

Does the mould accumulate elsewhere too?
I don't think you should spend your own money. Would you be able to ask landlord to put up a curtain rail instead and you buy cheap curtains?
Also you don't want darker blinds to hide the problem - you really need the problem fixed!
I have to use a dehumidifier in the winter but still have mould build up.
It's an increasing problem for so many homes.

What is wrong with the windows that they are causing mould?

Do you actually ventilate the place (because lack of ventilation is often the cause of mould).

Take them down and get net curtains. They can be easily washed unlike blinds.

Side note:
I used to live in a flat with a similar problem. From the outside you could see the mould up the back of the blinds. They were gross. And so old and worn out even without the mould problem. (They must have been there for years before we moved in.)

We asked for replacements and were refused (really shitty, corrupt managing company). I was too young and naive to fight my corner. Eventually we just moved out.

Anyway, I drove past the building years and years after we’d left: the blinds were still there!! I’m so angry at the managing company for making people live in those conditions. It’s just unnecessary and unfair.

I think I'd let the mould get to the really manky stage then point out to LL that the windows are faulty.

Really its his asset that he needs to protect. As well as it being a place for you to rent.

But if he isn't prepared to fix windows / change the blinds, I'd buy curtains that are easy for you to wash and move to a different house.

If the owner is a leaseholder then windows and the damp that looks like it's coming in from above may be the responsibility of the freeholder.
Suspect he will do nothing until you leave, paint over it and it will be the problem of the next tenant.

Poss worth checking in with other residents to see if this is a shared problem?

You could request that he buys a dehumidifier? Cost of running it would be on your electricity bill though?

That is actually terrible

I am a landlord and I would put that right myself.

I have a similar issue in the bedroom so yes it does accumulate in other places, around both windows.

I do ventilate the place %100.

The decorator who is also a builder by trade said the windows are the problem. I can't recall exactly what it was he said, perhaps the seals? When it rains alot outside the windows get wet on the inside.

The problem is alot worse in the colder months but not perfect in summer and spring either.

I've shown the LL the problem before and his advice is to just keep using mould spray which is all well and good when you don't have to live with it (and the mould spray is very toxic to breath in this much)

I wonder if they get mouldy because of condensation. If so you need to ventilate the house more.

Ah I see they actually leak too.

We have this problem too and on getting advice ours is a ventilation problem. Landlord bought a dehumidifier and this has solved the problem (& my washing dries much quicker!).
Regarding the blinds they do need changing. Could you offer to contribute and then you could choose what you want?

My sister also has terrible damp in her rented property and also this mould issue. The landlord can’t/won’t spend the money to fix the issue. When she replaces carpets etc due to damp, she deducts them from rent bill.

You could try a dehumidifier in the short term - they are cheap and make a difference.

He is a leaseholder yes. Mine is one of several flats in a building but my LL only owns this one.

I had a terrible flood in the bedroom last month when we had torrential rain. The guttering hadn't been maintained (the responsibility of the project manager or whatever they are called) and it was coming in through my window and saturated the bedroom floor, my bed, belongings.

Landlord has put a claim in on his insurance against the owner of the complex/building and will be redecorating the bedroom and replacing the flooring in there that got water logged.

I don't think he will be keen on paying for these blinds out of his own pocket, though.

I would like to move but I just don't have the funds at the moment. I live in London and we all know what the housing sector is like here

I'd definitely ask in these circumstances, it's not just that they are old or not to your liking, they have been damaged by an issue he won't resolve.

I'd ask for the windows to be replaced, just one window won't necessarily be that much and they can be done on finance etc. If not then change to curtains and/or a voile so it's easier to clean regularly.

If you are getting damp and mould I'd point out that it's likely costing you more in heating the place, and having a negative impact on your/your DCs health.