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?

In America that is more usually true. Here in the UK it is not usually true unless the problem is left to run rampant. Condensation, breathing, simply living, can be the root cause of black spot mould in all types of housing stock. Most people have small signs of it in their homes, whether in the corners f window frames or by outside doors, etc. This is perfectly normal in many houses and lifestyle, just being, is often a major contribution. there are two things:

Tenants: must use the property in a 'tenant like manner' and that includes them taking normal precautions against condensation mould

Landlords: must also take precautions to protect both the tenants and the property.

I usually tell tenants to buy a good mould spray, like HG, and to use it at the first sign off black spot mould. That is their responsibility. It is also down to them to tell the landlord if the mould recurs

At which point the LL has to effectively assess the issue. Is it the tenants actions, or lack of? Is it an issue with the house and if so how can it be remedied?

@LadyMaine you could (probably should) buy them some good mould spray and a good dehumidifier - like a Meaco 20l one. Show you are taking it seriously and want to help them remedy the situation. Ask them to get back to you after they gave cleaned and used the dehumidifier, cost of running one below

I've also included a fairly even handed guide to damp and mould that gives a lot of advice.

You should also acquaint yourself with the Fitness For Human Habitation Act, also attached. I find many LLs are unaware of it and can get caught out on daft things

You could (probably should) get an expert in to tell both you and your tenant what the issue is and how to remedy it. An independent voice would, agan, show you are taking this seriously and give you some protection should things deteriorate due to the tenant's choices. You'll have to pay but it could be cheaper than a S21 and reletting

blog.meaco.com/cost-to-run-dehumidifier/

www.permagard.co.uk/advice/damp-rental-properties-what-to-do

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/34/introduction/enacted

Excellent advice

🙂Thanks

I am just re-writing my damp and mould information leaflets to be more strongly worded for both landlords and tenants. With the very recent, probably utterly avoidable death of that young by, I have already had a couple of absolutely batshit questions from both sides of letting.

I am an inventory clerk. I get to give impartial advice to lots of people who often don't want to hear logic or the law!

It isn't too difficult to place a remote sensor that would monitor and report on the room temperature at regular intervals.
Nor would this be an invasion of the tenant's privacy.

Of course it is an invasion of the tenants privacy.

If a landlord did this to me I would simply wrap a hot water bottle around the room sensor. None of their business to try and monitor me in this way.

I'd fuck with it on sheer principle alone.

If a landlord does this to you, please post on MN and we can suggest ways to fuck with the sensor temperature.
Maybe really fuck with it and put it in the freezer for a bit?

My God! Why not put cameras and microphones in whilst your at it! Humanity and compassion clearly swear words on MN.

The damp was there before the tenants moved in. You can't air damp out and you can't dry it out with heat either or clean it away either. It needs treating properly ASAP especially in light of the recent inquiry into the poor little boy who died because of the black mould in their HA Flat.
Heating bills are extortionate for everyone this Winter and people can't be expected to have it on for hours at a time to minimise a damp problem that was already clearly there long before they moved in.

The money spent on the remote sensor to monitor if the tenant is having the heating on often enough to dry out the damp that won't go just because the heating is on will probably be better wiser invested in paying for the damp treatment the property appears to need.

OP said its already had a damp course treatment which suggests there was already a damp problem before the tenants moved in. Damp often needs retreating depending on the house etc. They haven't caused any damage it was clearly already there hence hence treatment.

I had this once. Only happened when it rained heavily from S West. A chimney cowl sorted it out.

I didn't bump this up! However...

OP said its already had a damp course treatment which suggests there was already a damp problem before the tenants moved in. Damp often needs retreating depending on the house etc. They haven't caused any damage it was clearly already there hence hence treatment.

Yes, and given they've only been in situ literally weeks they can hardly be deemed responsible.

We’ve had a damp proof guy out to the house today! He said that they are inundated with work because… people haven’t been putting the heating on. He reckons they’ve never been busier. he did mention the very dry summer as well, I guess that means maybe it’s more noticeable if the moisture changes dramatically.

I don't think the presence of a DPC suggests there was necessarily a pre-existing damp problem. Back in the day when adding a new DPC was a new thing, sales people were flogging them to all and sundry as a retro-fit to properties that did not, due to their age, have a shiny new chemical DPC.

These properties on the whole did not need one, they had their own DPC in the form of non-permeable courses within the stone/brickwork (slate, often), but with the rise in well sealed double glazing, blocking up airbricks, changes in the way people heat and use their homes (homes standing empty all day long where they'd once have had people in them all the time)... damp was becoming an issue and it became a brilliant way to flog folk something they didn't need.

This may be the case with the OP's property, it may never have needed a new modern DPC - perhaps damp only began to appear after the windows were changed, perhaps it never had but the then owners were scared into getting it done (or perhaps it genuinely did need it).

We’re getting a lot of condensation on our windows at night. First thing in the morning, the heating goes on, windows are opened, and excess moisture wiped up with an old towel. If we leave it, it will get worse, the window frames will get mouldy. As it is, with a little effort, its under control even though we can’t afford constant heat any more.

We’ve been in our 1930s house for nearly 20 years and never had this problem until now. We know absolutely its due to the heating being used less frequently than in previous years. But then, I worked in housing where condensation was often reported as a water leak, because people wouldn’t heat and ventilate, even when fuel prices were much lower.

We’re getting a lot of condensation on our windows at night. First thing in the morning, the heating goes on, windows are opened, and excess moisture wiped up with an old towel. If we leave it, it will get worse, the window frames will get mouldy.

We have one room and a small bathroom where that happens. That room is adequately ventilated, apparently, but the window is the problem and I will eventually replace it.

Outside of summer I have to open windows a chink when the heating is on and even if ironing in there.

I wouldn't consider it suitable for the rental market, though.

We get this condensation will always gravitate towards windows as they are the coldest spot
we don’t get it on front windows as they catch to the sun
all windows at back and side do the side ones are the oldest back was replaced a few years ago and we have one single glazed it’s not the windows that cause the problem

In our case, in this one room, it is the window to blame. The bathroom is a different matter! Old building and still much to be done, however.