AIBU to expect the tenants to turn the heating up?

[LadyMaine]

I've owned my 3 bed Victorian house for 7 years. There was a little bit of damp in the downstairs bay window but nothing serious.

I moved for work at end of August this year and rented it out. Within a few weeks the tenants (3 adults & dog) started complaining of damp and mould. When I went to inspect the house was very cold.
They said they are worried about high heating bills. I do understand this but have told them they really need to turn the heating up.

The boiler is in full working order as are the extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom.
I installed new double glazed windows throughout when I bought the house. It also has a damp course installed.

Now they are complaining that there is black mould and that one of the tenants' asthma is getting worse.
What can I do to get them to turn the heating up?

Exactly right.

I told you about my experience and i said many not all.

It does sound as though your tenants need to move to somewhere smaller, in order to afford the heating. It doesn’t need to be tropical indoors, just enough to keep damp at bay.

I do find it unbelievable though, that people just leave mould to increase, without attempting to treat it. If you own your home, you would just get on with it as part of your cleaning regime, and obviously take steps to help prevent it.

Some recent photos show homes that are completely disgusting - not just with the mould but filthy toilets and floors - but apparently ‘it’s someone else’s responsibility to sort out everything’.

Avoid drying washing inside , no washing on radiators.
Open windows after showers/ use extractor fans.
Use saucepan lids.
Air the house to minimise moisture in the air - it's cheaper to heat cold dry air than wet air.
Use a dehumidifier.

I think it is a reasonable request. I had to move to London for my job & as I could not afford to rent in london so ended up house sharing and rented my home in the North.
2 Bedroom House listed by estate agents after living there myself for over 13 years with no damp or condensation. I had one rental family who stayed for one year, no complaints about damp or anything else however it all went down hill after the next tenants moved in.
i appreciate and understand some landlords are criminal but other accidental landlords like myself are not. As a tenant in london not only have I created by room in a better standard that my live in landlord but I am respectful to the neighbours and others in my household. Just setting the picture for you all.

The new tenants in my home in North went via estate agent. My house is 2 bedroom and like I said no damp or condensation for me or my last tenants. The new tenants presented themselves as husband and wife with 2 young boys. I gave them notice to visit so I could Introduce myself taking a welcome to your new home, flowers and chocolates. There was 3 teenager boys along with the husband and wife who had been in the country for just over 2 years. They introduced the teenagers are relatives.
a few months later I went back to show them how to use the oven as struggling even though it was a new electric oven…picture building here. The 3 teenager boys still there and the wife was pregnant so congratulated her and when the baby arrived I arranged to visit. Yes I visited to gift them a Moses basket, crib and baby clothes. This time they had extended family who told me the 3 teenager boys actually the man and women’s sons…. 2 bedroom house and they failed to disclose this to me or the estate agents as technically 5 adults for a 2 bedroom house and we would have declined.

Long story short, cooking and not opening the windows, over crowded and not opening windows, autumn and winter not having heating on was the prime ingredients for damp.

I arranged workmen and the tenants did not give them access and in fact contacted me to their local authority. Luckily the estate agent agent had confirmed the facts, I had photos along with inconveniencing my workmen. The next step was small claims court and yes 2 years ago as they had been on benefits hot legal aid for court. They took on the house and as me to evict them so they could get a council house and as it’s illegal I said no so they took this route whilst not paying rent.

Not only am I having to travel on the train, I now have a house that needs urgent repay and having to fight my own case. Luckily for me the council offered them a house and conveniently they moved out, dropped the court case and left me with repairs and Damp issues. NO they did not get their deposit back which May I add just covered the cost of paint. The costs and loss of 3 months rent.

I am no Taylor Wimpy or any other housing builders, nor am I comfortable as I have 2 jobs. Whilst going through this extra cost, heart ache, inconvenience I ensured I fulfilled and still am filling my contract with my landlord.

I now have new tenants who do ventilate, put the heating on and no signs of damp or condensation.

I wish people would stop, think and start taking action. As adults they made certain choices such as ensuring they got a smaller house so can valiant over crowded and lied along with having another baby.

as adults we need to take accountability and stop putting our hands out. As a result of the above I am still working 2 jobs. I don’t want your pity but this message is to all
those who have been telling this poor landlord to stop. The landlord is right to request the heating is on and ventilation if not the current tenants can just tell exaggerated stories and the authorities come down hard on the landlord. Some landlords like myself have a heart. Clearly I tried with this family such as buying a mosses basket, crib etc but they slapped it back as we are creating a nation to say it’s my right. I could not evict the tenant, even after 3 months of non payments, refusing my workmen even though they had been given enough notice.

I rest my case

Haven’t your tenants signed a lease with a clause to keep the property in good condition?

No one said all tenants. You’re doing exactly whats needed, and you recognise if you didn’t damp and mould would occur. I’ve bought a £5 damp trap from Wilko today, hopefully it’ll soak up some moisture from the worst window.

YANBU. I live in a stone house, they have to be maintained with heating and ventilation.

We dry clothes with a dehumidifier that also benefits the whole house, and can see on smart meter they really are cheap to run, it’s been great and stopped the damp on curtain corners etc. Yes damp - it does happen in older properties, yes it can be a health hazard in extreme circumstances, yes it needs to be managed, no it need not be a problem.

tl;dr: tenants have rights, and I don’t like it

cheers for that.

Perhaps people who can’t afford to pay for big homes should rent accommodation they can afford to look after and heat.

Yes tenants have rights and also responsibilities to be truthful about who resides in the property and also to allow trades in to carry out repairs. FWIW, where I used to work no additional priority would have been awarded for overcrowding as they had chosen to live in a property that was too small. If they had needed a 2 bed and took a 2 bed but then had further child/ren ,then priority due to overcrowding would be awarded. And if we had discovered that they had not conducted the tenancy satisfactorily they might not have been eligible to join the housing register.

Buy them everything and still they would not heat the house. People don’t care about others things.

Are you talking about the OP? That's only a three-bedroom house.

In your situation I bought my tenants a tumble drier and a dehumidifier. Mine were drying clothes inside which was causing condensation which causes mould.

I get mould on my own bathroom if I don't open the window- I think some people commenting are forgetting that mould can be caused by lots of condensation.

Get a grip.

Your relatives will be using heating. That’s the difference

Is that a case of wrong thread or are you commenting to the OP?

@FarrahLondon that must have been tough, you see both sides of renting.

Now those tenants will have leapfrogged responsible families who, unless they are similarly evicted, are unlikely to get social housing.

Change the terms of the let (and the cost) NEXT TIME so that heating is included.

Ignore this person who called you an a hole. More than likely they use the same tactics as done renters out there. It’s not ours so we don’t care. We are on benefits so can and should get everything for free

Absolutely this.

Pay there bills for them. Sorry you cannot force them to turn up the heating. We have damp in our house, we are also rented. But un like your house, we have single glazed windows, that don't shut properly. We do put the heating on, earlier than we would like, to deal with the damp.
Have you told them to open the windows a bit, to let the house breath. Or we have a dehumidifier, to try and help with the damp. We also use a bleach spray on the mould, we did buy some damp seal paint, which you, paint over the mould, after you have cleaned it, that did stop it for a while. Have you checked they haven't covered the air bricks. As the previous tenants to us, had put some stones and soil over an air brick at the front of the property. We didn't know about it, but our wooden floor boards had rotted. The guy fixing it, said that the covered air brick, had led to damp under the floor boards. So it's worth checking, near the window, on the outside, to make sure the air brick is clear.

Thank you. I’m so pleased we have genuine people who have morales in this country. I cannot disagree with anything you said.
Unfortunately it does break you but I was raised old fashioned views….if it’s not yours you look after it and return it safely. Do good and remain true as the truth siesta finds a way so I stuck with that. It’s a shame as their 4 children will grown up and learn from their parents and therefore the cycle continued

If they pay for energy bills. You have no say. You should just help them, buy a dehumidifier and tell them how to use it. Or you foot the energy bill. You are the landlord and need to make sure they're comfortable in your home. But whichever way you do things, get it all in writing, to cover yourself.

If you're in a position to do this, it may help them out, alternatively you could reduce the rent by the same amount on the provision that through the winter they have the heating on for an hour or so a day?

You can't make them put the heating on but similarly the damp problem won't go away without the heating being on, so you're in a real catch 22 situation 😞 have you gently explained that to them that having the heating on would help?