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?

So they moaned it was damp in sept which was mild so prob didn’t our heating

is your house cold when you enter

what degree does thermostat turn on

Summarising from what everyone has posted:-
It's my responsibility to provide the means of heating and ventilation but it is the tenants responsibility to use those means.

I'll say goodnight for now.

Thanks again all.

I would give them notice. Your house will
be ruined if they continue to stay there.

Thank you BosaNova, very helpful response.

I had this exact same thing in 2018. I had lived in the house for 2 years and no damp or mould issue at all. I then rented it out and within a few months the walls were damp to touch, with mould all in the corners. It was actually quite distressing to see. They then kicked off because their bedding had become mouldy

But after speaking to them and comparing meter reads, it transpired that the tenants simply were not putting the heating on or ventilating the house - this was an old Victorian property too. Once they left and I moved back in and cleared up the mould, it’s been fine and dry ever since

I’m in a similar situation @LadyMaine my tenants complain about a tiny bit of mould where the dealing and wall meet on a north facing wall (house in the north west so a lot of rain). But i suspect they are stingy with the heating and never open the windows. Entire house is double glazed and insulated, and when I lived there I never had mould. So I am less than sympathetic. People like the idea of renting a large Victorian terrace, but they don’t reckon with the practicalities.

Part of our contract, which we signed, said the heating had to be in between October and (I think) April. Either way, we have a point agreed that we have to heat the home, whether we can afford it or not (we can).

We have no loft insulation at the moment but that's another story.

There's no mould problem fingers crossed but only if you keep it on top of it. So not ideal, no, not for everyone.
Everyone I know who have rental properties are always moaning, like it's a surprise they need maintenance. I don't know, there are other ways to make money.

Why don’t you offer to pay for the heating and they can keep it at the temperature you like.

MilkyYay · Today 19:44
People always remark upon the fact that damp is more common in rented homes and blame landlords.

In the cases of HAs it is their fault in a lot of cases.

Cavity wall insulation does not suit some buildings. Housing associations wont listen though. They get funding for it and the insulation companies get paid.

Both are winners and secure in the knowledge that if mould occurs they can blame the tenant in the culture that we live in.

Surely it’s part of the contract that they do not cause damage to the landlords property. Therefore, sort out the black mould yourself, then tell them they have to put the heating on and keep the property well ventilated so it doesn’t come back. If they then don’t turn on heat, they’re willingly damaging your property.

When we were in army married quarters, there was a whole section about heating, mould & ventilation and said we would be liable for damage if we didn’t follow it.

I rent a house out. I put in a passive impact ventilation system in the loft. Also a continuously running kitchen and bathroom fan that they can't turn off. I know you said you have extractor fans. You could ask them to paint with anti mould paint the problem areas. Or you could do this and it can be painted over if needed.

A dehumidifier suitable for the whole house could be a good idea. I would ask the tenants to get one and if they refuse I would buy them one myself. Ones with a humidistat work well as they can be set to come on just when the humidity goes over the set level, 55 is a good target. It's cheaper to have one that comes on when needed than one that runs all the time. Spending out now will keep the house from getting ruined. Ultimately it's about working with your tenant and if they don't try to reduce the condensation they create then you can always issue a section 21 to give them notice to quit.
I would be proactive to try and avoid this as housing is so tricky to find now. If you do this minor work then it will keep the house sorted for years and future tenants. Also can use it as outgoings for your tax return.

Oh god no don't offer to pay the bill, they will suddenly decide they want to flounce around in shorts and a tshirt when its you paying for it. Honestly I think you should let them go and get new tenants, while also updating your contract for the future tenants.

honestly as a tenant if gas was included i'd not deliberately use more but i wouldn't be turning it down as much, i wouldn't be being as mindful. not because i'm an arse but because it would cease to be one of the things i had to be responsible for iyswim.

What will it take to fix the damp in the windows. I would look at doing that, provide a couple of humidifiers and if they're still closing all the windows / vents and sitting in the cold trying to air dry washing, i'd look at whether its a breach of tenancy re maintaining the integrity of the house and then having a convo about letting them break the tenancy.

Ultimately a house will get damp if it isnt ventilated and heated, had this arguement so many times working in social housing. If they won't stop it getting damp, you can't either.

harsh
as OP said she lived there for many years heated and ventilated no mold
new tenant no heating /ventilation loads of mold doesn’t take an arsehole to work out what the cause of the problem is
its lifestyle rather than structural or maintenance problem
landlord Could of course heat the building but obviously that would have to be reflected in the price of the rent

Also, double check your loft ventilation. We had out house wall insulated and attic insulated through that govt scheme years ago and then our tenants said their stuff in the attic was damp and wet.

We found out there weren’t enough ventilation blocks in the roof so we got a builder to sort that and problem solved.

Great. Evict people because they're poor. How many people can't use their heating now because of the cost? Should they all be evicted? It's a luxury for a lot of people now who are just about managing to feed themselves.
The place was already mouldy and op did nothing so yes it will get worse.

Happy Christmas to you too!😂

Anyway, this is one of these baiting threads isn't it.

I rather suspect it is. OP has turned from asking 'how to get them to turn the heating up' to now wanting solutions. Probably better asking other people renting out houses, than here, in any event.

The more I read here, the less I want to deal with the general public..

Mould in August due to no heating? Who had heating on in August. Get a builder out needs a vent fitted

That sounds like a good offer of paying the gas bill for a contribution on top of rent.
Just be ware, if they heat it to 18 as you want please don't evict when the time is up if the gas bill is high!

If you pay for the heating can you imagine how big a bill they could run up 🙈

Alas I think letting them leave early is the right thing to do.

You need to calculate how much your average usage will cost going forward and ensure future tenants can afford to pay for it and will use the heating and tumble drier.

we also were worried about the heating around 1994!
and got damp.
the landlord fixed it, he didnt complain that we didnt turn the expensive convector heaters on!

Yes I actually have black mould by the plug sockets in the bedroom too on the wall the window is. Not sure how safe they are to use to be honest, it’s a bit of a worry as it’s my child’s bedroom