Is this my fault as a tenant?

[Lovvy67]

For years I've had issues with damp and severe mould around the windows in my flat, the bedroom window ledge is awful in winter and the pladter literally rots.

Twice during heavy rain I've had leaks that cause water to come into the flat. The last one was bad and flooded my bedroom, I have a mild one going on at the minute with this downpour.

Last time the conclusion was a leaking gutter above the window. The property manager had somebody come out and clear out the gutter. No further issues with water coming in for a while - but then there was no heavy rain until now..

I've woken up this morning and the window ledge is soaked and water is dripping down the wall. On closer inspection I found this, a gap between the window and the frame, and I'm guessing it has been there all along which would explain why I have so many issues around the windows. You have to stand at a certain angle to see it so it's easy to miss if you're looking straight on.

Anyway, I've sent a video to my landlord who said he can't see how a window would be liked that unless it was 'pulled down' which makes me think he's blaming me for it..

So can you tell me what you think? Is this something a tenant is responsible for? Why would a window be like this?

The window is completely closed, clicked shut.

This is not your fault. You need new windows

Looks like the hinge had gone creating the gap which means the window isn’t actually shutting properly and making a complete seal.

we had it with a bathroom window but ours dropped so far you couldn’t close it. It was like less than a five minute job for a handy man fix.

This happened to us a few years ago (we own a 120-year-old tenement) and it turned out the pointing in the brickwork was damaged, so the building wasn't 'watertight' - nothing to do with the windows!

Like you, the issue only appeared after very heavy rain - it was actually a surveyor friend who was visiting at the time who worked it out.

Anyway, we had been ignoring it for too long and it was very expensive to fix, as we had to have a wall stripped back, damp-coursed and replastered etc. I completely own up to being an idiot here.

Your landlord sounds like a nightmare to deal with, but it might be worth pointing out to them that if this is the case, it gets very costly very quickly.

Thank you that's really helpful

Oh dear. I hope that's not the case as if so I can't see it being sorted anytime soon.

The outstanding repairs I mentioned upthread are going to be paid for by the property management company i think and not my landlord himself.

He, perhaps understandably, doesn't want to pay out for things that the property management company are liable for so when something goes wrong such as the flood in the bedroom last time and the associated damage it caused, I was waiting about 6 months for all of the checks to be done to prove the damage was caused by the leak which was caused by the badly maintained guttering etc.

It's a nightmare and never straight forward.

He's trying to fob you off! It's his responsibility to replace it! Does he think you're she hulk who can just pull down windows?

Don't pay. That's his job.

Buildings do move and have done in the recent heat where the ground has shrunk which can affect the structure so this may have made it worse and opened up a small gap to become a larger one?

Look at the new. They can't just keep your deposit for mould.

I’m certainly not saying it’s the case for you, but damp can be caused by the tenants. Wet washing, no ventilation, lots of steamy showers baths.

He's responsible for the structure of the building.

It never ceases to amaze me that a landlord will spend hundreds of thousands of pounds in purchasing a property and then do nothing to protect their investment.

Look for advice on Shelter's website and contact the council. The council may be able to take enforcement action.

I had a similar issue and when investigated by a contractor that I employed ( for a second opinion) was told that the seal between the window and the house can fail over time because it simply erodes. This then leaves a gap for water to get in even when the window is closed. Its the landlords responsibility to fix the issue

Water is pissing in through my window again 🙁

I'm still waiting on the roofer to come after the last big leak, apparently he's coming Wednesday but it has happened again in the mean time.

That roofer has been out about 4 or 5 times and the last time he was here he made it clear he didn't think its anything to do with the roof anymore and he doesn't know why they keep sending him.

The problem is clearly the windows isn't it? The plaster above said window is literally rotting away.

I'm classed as vulnerable and have a disabled child so I'm going to go down to the council first thing tomorrow morning with these videos and ask them to please help me. They might not be able to rehouse me but they will certainly have more clout than I do when it comes to getting things sorted in a timely fashion. Environmental health it is. Hopefully they will give the project management team a kick up the backside.

Definitely go to the council, fill in a housing form and get environmental health to come inspect your current home. They can identify issues and compel the landlord to repair them. Back when I privately rented I had to do this, the environmental health guy identified stuff I hadn't even noticed as well as the issues I had and sent the landlord a list along with an order saying they had so many days to fix it or else the council would and they'd be billed for it.

It's not pulled down, the hinges have broken.. happens with older windows! Easy enough to repair xx

It could be that the windows are demised to the landlord under the terms of the lease, in which case it would be his responsibility to repair - lots of LL really don't know what is theirs and what's the block management. Definitely speak to environmental health, but also speak to the property management company - ask your LL for permission to deal with them directly.

Thank you for the replies.

I have started a case with environmental health, the council gave me the departments details and I've sent an email with pictures.

I did call the property managers who confirmed that the windows are the landlords problem, however he (project manager) suspects there may be an issue with the building/walls. I can't remember what he said that was but the roofer has been instructed to check for it.

Unsurprisingly the council reiterated that they wojkent be able to help rehouse me. Lovely.

From that last picture it looks like the water is coming in above the window - and as you said, the plaster above it has rotted away. That means there is water ingress in the wall above the window itself. Could be the flashing around the window is faulty, or the render or mortar on the brick/stone is cracked or deteriorating. I've had an issues with water ingress because the sandstone has worm away. Could you post a photo of what is looks like from outside?

I always find it really hard to understand why landlords are so lax. It's THEIR asset that's rotting away, for Heaven's sake!!
I feel so sorry for you, @Lovvy67 .
Kind of expecting you to be posting every six months with another problem if no-one takes you seriously. :-( Hugs..

I've attached a picture. This is the wall / flat roof directly above my bedroom window.

This same thing happened in 2020 and completely destroyed the flooring, paintwork and anything on the floor so my bed got saturated etc.

The conclusion then was an overflowing gutter which the roofer sorted, now here we are again.

I had a leak coming in through my bathroom lights a couple of months ago, roofer came out and couldn't find the cause, and now this.

Thank you for the kind words mama bear, it really is one thing after the other 😔

Come to think of it the bricks above the window do look quite shabby and uneven don't they? I wonder if that is contributing.

Either way one thing I do know for sure is that the window is a problem.

You live like that with water running in. Something like that would take a long time to dry out, but with winter approaching that's going to add increased dampness into the air, walls and floorboards. Obviously you'll be airing the house to some extent but you can have the windows opened constantly letting in cold air. As others have said, call environmental health. Tell them you've got photos which you can send, so they know they won't be wasting their time.

Forgot to say, the white straining on the wall above the window clearly shows there's been an ongoing problem. Could leave to mortar breaking down and distortion.

So sorry for what you are going through. Your landlord is a shocker. Have you had a look through the Shelter website? They also have a helpline and would certainly advise you. Here's the link to mould ( which would be a health issue/environmental) england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/damp_and_mould_in_rented_homes
As you are a carer for a disabled child.. are there any organisations which might help you? Do they have a case worker who could write to the Council on your behalf? in support of your application?

You do have to provide bank statements and affordability checks are carried out, which makes it pretty obvious

I had a leak coming in through my bathroom lights a couple of months ago, roofer came out and couldn't find the cause, and now this.

water often comes through electric sockets etc as there’s cables for it to run along. It makes it really tricky to work out where it’s coming in, as it doesn’t always leak where it’s coming in.