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 could definitely have a word with some other residents and see if they have the same problem.

I definitely do ventilate the flat, I have the windows open daily and also the front door on an evening when my child is in bed.

I've had a bunch of little dehumidifier boxes stacked around (The little ones you can buy from places such as poundstretcher) and it didn't make much difference if any.

It would be expensive though the mould isn't good for your respiratory system especially with covid, you didn't cause it, it is costing money to treat it with sprays.
If they weren't mouldy and your DC broke them pulling them I'd say you pay.
I think he should pay as mould is dangerous.

Landlord should replace everything. He has a legal obligation to ensure the building it watertight and it obviously isn't. I'd check your contract under his/her obligations to you and and quote them to them. Its not being a CF, it's one of the reasons you pay rent, and mold can cause serious health problems, and spores can travel around the whole house.

Ask the landlord to replace the windows. Flag it as a health risk especially as you have a child. No point getting dark blinds if you keep needing to bleach the mold. They'll be trashed.

I wouldn’t be considering new blinds until the damp is dealt with. Are the windows opened regularly to allow adequate air flow and prevent condensation?

It's funny somebody would mention the mould being an additional risk given the fact covid is a current issue. I actually had covid the other month (tested pos) and it took me a long time to get over. It didn't occur at the time that the mould conditions may have contributed to that.

He might not be keen but that doesn’t mean he won’t step up and sort it.

Why not draft an email? We could help you check it and edit it?
Your main points are:
This is an ongoing problem and if no immediate works are going to be done to rectify it then you need a better way to manage it as it’s detrimental to your and your child’s health.

1. a dehumidifier to tackle the damp.
2. install curtains that can be regularly taken down and washed to remove the black mould.
3. you will continue to upkeep his property by using the specified mould cleaner and by ensuring you continue to keep the room well ventilated.

You landlord needs to address the mould issue. He needs to have a proper ventilation system installed. You opening the windows to ventilate isn't enough. We had similar problems in our house and had to install a proper extraction system. Haven't had any problems since.

If he won't then look for somewhere else. Nobody should be having to fight mould like this.

It's not damp, it's condensation which is classed as a 'lifestyle' problem and as such it will be considered your fault probably. It might even be in your tenancy agreement.

Once something has that black mould growing on it it's almost impossible to kill it and if the same conditions persist it will continuously come back. Bleach just bleaches it. A better solution is mentholated spirt with a little bit of water to kill the fungus and then possibly bleach to get rid of the marks.

I open the windows daily yes.

I wondered myself whether condensation due to lack of ventilation was the issue originally so I made sure to open them daily and keep them open for most of the day. It didn't help.

I've had a bunch of little dehumidifier boxes stacked around (The little ones you can buy from places such as poundstretcher) and it didn't make much difference if any.
You need a proper electric one. They pull so much moisture out of the air, you’ll be surprised.

Is that not condensation rather than damp?

I had a flat like that and it was a nightmare until I got dehumidifiers for the living room and bedroom. Made a massive difference.

And I mean proper electric ones, not those little window things.

I will bare mentholated spirt in mind, thank you.

Until now I've been using shop bought mould spray.

It's very frustrating as I do ventilate the flat.

My kitchen and living room are one room so I can't avoid cooking in here but maybe that adds to it?

The windows are def an issue though.

Also, do you air dry clothes? If you can get a tumble dryer it will make a further massive difference.

If it's a leasehold property, the windows may not be the landlord's responsibility either. It's often a matter for the freeholder.

Opening windows lets air in, but it doesn't suck out the existing damp air.

I don't air dry clothes no, I've specifically avoided doing that for this reason. I have a laundrette across the road where I dry my clothes

You can get cheap made to measure blinds on blinds2go.com. I'm on a few decor facegroup groups and they always come highly recommended

I will have a word with him about a proper dehumidifier if people think that will help. Thank you.

The blinds are already ruined though

Would anybody like to hazard a guess as to how much blinds this size might cost?

I dread to think personally. I've never had a place with windows this big and awkward.

OP as a landlord I would be happy to get curtains if it would short term help, but clearly there is a maintenance issue. Not sure how the builder would be able to see the cause, as it could also be a problem with the walls or roof. If it's leasehold your LL should be contacting the freeholder as well, I think. Certainly not unreasonable given youve been there a while. Do you keep the house very warm? This does encourage mould generally but would usually only be an issue in windowless bathrooms.

Also take the running cost of the dehumidifier off your rent bill, obviously discuss with LL first.

What you need to do is make your problem, his problem.

The only things you can do as a tenant are keep lids on pans while cooking and have the extractor on to pull out the steam from cooking, same with bath shower, run the extractor.

Don't dry clothes indoors and ventilate as much as you can. Which I know you are doing.

It really is not on to expect you to bear the cost and the health implications of this ongoing mould issue.

There is no point getting new blinds until the mould problem is sorted. Also if they were there when you moved in, it is up to the LL to provide new ones.

An electric dehumidifier will be life changing if your windows are rubbish - the flat will be warmer once the damp is gone. Washing dries on an airer in an hour in a small room.

I would take the blinds down and wash them in the bath in a bleach solution. Dry them and store them. Keep all the fittings - they're the expensive fit - the blinds themselves are relatively cheap - I bought some online.

Fit curtain rails and curtains. Get a professional to fit the rails - in my flat there are water pipes above the windows just where everyone drilled for curtains. The week everyone moved in there were loads of plumbers out!! Luckily I had a carpenter who'd worked on the flats doing mine!