To think mould issues are one of the biggest triggers for retaliatory evictions?

[TheNavyAnt]

I keep seeing situations where tenants report damp or mould and suddenly the landlord/agent becomes hostile - inspections ramp up, nitpicking begins or a Section 21 magically appears soon after.

AIBU to think mould is one of the most common things that leads to landlords trying to push tenants out, simply because fixing it costs money?

I don’t understand why tenants don’t clean it up themselves rather than risking the health of their children by living in a mouldy property. That’s what homeowners do

I think there is some truth in this, but a big factor in mould is ventilation, cleaning it off, and heating. And often tenants don't want to do any of these adequately. If that is the case then it risks damage to the house so landlords are Keener to get the tenant out. Obviously if there's a leak that is then leading to mould it's different, but old properties will get mouldy if not taken care of.

I think it's many issues but also not opening windows regularly or drying washing properly

You can’t ’clean up’ mould. You can remove it on a surface level but the cause must be treated.

Around 200,000 places have horrendous mould problems now, after Government gave grants to fill cavity walls with insulation foam 😂Also not even mortgageable now until the almost impossible job of clearing it is done !

Yes, but I wouldn’t sit in a mouldy property moaning about it. If the landlord wasn’t sorting it out I would arrange it myself rather than expose my children to it

My landlord evicted us after environmental health wrote to him with a list of things he had to do. It wasn’t just mould and tbf the glass in the windows (single pain) were held in with cello tape in places. I only realised this when I cleaned the windows and started peeling some off thinking it was from Xmas decs of previous tenants but nope literally held in place with cello tape.

there was a whole host of issues that the landlord was told he needed to remedy so instead just evicted us

We had horrific mould in the first two houses we privately rented.

Both times we were told it was our fault, ventilation, drying washing etc.

First house, when we moved out, the landlord moved in. Lo and behold, the house needed and got a new damp course within months of the landlord experiencing living with the mould themselves.

Second house, we moved out, and the landlord had to get the whole roof replaced before it was fit to be rented out again in order to fix the mould.

Unfortunately we are still renting, and although this house is falling apart because the landlord is only making serious repairs, it has had a new roof, and a new boiler in that time without any fuss! And no mould!

I think in some cases it is the tenant's fault. The UK is getting wetter and milder, this leads to conditions that mould thrives in. A tenant should get a dehumidifier if they dry washing etc indoors.
But if it's down to a structural reason like failing DPC, brickwork, roof, old windows then of course it's landlord's responsibility.

The cost of living increases will have a lot to do with it. People can’t afford to run the heating as much as the house needs. They don’t want to air the house as in their minds that would remove the heat they have paid for. They dry clothes on radiators as the dryer is expensive to run. The house gets mouldy, the landlord worries that these behaviours are damaging their house so they evict.

Agree. We used to live a house that easily got mouldy and doubt a landlord could have done anything

@Changingnowcosimscared we rented a house. It was covered in mold due to a damp problem the landlord refused to fix. They evicted us when I complained to environmental health about it. Yes we cleaned it but every time it rained you could see the mold climbing up the walls.....

I think you have to look at it from both sides. Without doubt there are bad landlords - the worst of which are the Councils ! However, from the Landlords perspective - tenants often don’t ventilate the place properly and that causes issues, they dry clothes on radiators and then introduce lots of moisture into the property without using a dehumidifier. Then fail to address small instances of mould which occur from this which then spreads and becomes a big issue to address. All of this is is unknown to a Landlord ( as they have to give the tenant peaceful enjoyment of the property) until the tenants then complain - failing to take any responsibility for causing the problem. It’s often a case of “it’s not my property so I don’t care”
I absolutely feel for tenants dealing with shitty Landlords, but there is absolutely rubbish protection for the Landlords nowadays and dealing with crappy tenants who fail to look after a property is equally challenging. People deserve to live in a safe and comfortable home - but they need to look after it as well.

I agree with @Silverstarfish1 I lived in a flat with a mould issue and it was caused by a cold area in the entrance hall and it was fixed with a radiator being installed BUT I had several patronising letters from the estate agent telling me to open the windows, use lids on pans etc.

I’m now a landlord and the tenants don’t ventilate the property, and dry clothes without using the humidifier provided. It’s very frustrating.

So often it's the tenants who cause it though. I've had tenants who didn't heat or ventilate and left wet washing hanging around inside (even though provided with a dryer). Mould everywhere. Before them, different tenants and no mould. After them, after a major clean up and repainting, again, different tenants and no mould. So yes, if tenants are the cause, and are complaining, I can absolutely understand wanting them gone.

Exactly, especially if they are whinging about their children having to live in a mouldy property rather than taking some responsibility for it themselves.

I own my mid terrace Victorian house.

Before I got a tumble dryer a few years ago I used to dry my washing on a clothes horse in the dining room when if it was raining.
After a couple of winters I noticed mould on the back wall. I cleaned it off with diluted bleach and made sure the window was opened a little if clothes were drying. Mould didn't reappear.

Then I got the dryer but as the kitchen leads off from the dining room via an arch (no door) I always have at least the trickle vent open all year, wide open window in summer.

I already have air vents and a damp proof course.

When our DC were still at home, their bathroom got covered in mould every winter. Drove me absolutely insane as I'd be the mug wiping the ceiling and walls with bleach every weekend. Now they've moved out, DH and I use the extractor fan, leave the window on the catch all the time... and shock horror, no mould.

We rarely use our dryer instead using a heated airer but my god the damp it generates in the room is horrific and we have to keep that well ventilated too. I don't think some people understand that if you've got moisture in the house, it needs letting out.

Mould is very often down to the tenants.

I live in a well maintained modern house (which I own) but if I have lots of wet laundry, take long showers and or/don't open windows regularly, I get mould....which needs cleaning and ventilation, nothing else.

I think council properties are the worst for mould. I've stayed in a few as a child and again as an adult and every single one had mould problems. The council are not interested in fixing the problem and always blame it on the tenants.

I have stayed in various private rentals since then and not one of them has had any mould issues. Some of those have been flats with no outdoor drying space or tumble dryers. Still managed to live happily without mould issues as I aired/heated the place adequately.

A lot of houses have mold, especially older properties. It's a rather silly issue to have. Just clean it off, weekly if you have to. I live in an 18th century house, and there is a lot of mould because the uninsulated walls get damp when the rooms are heated. It's just how it is. I haven't died. I just clean it off during the winter. Why can't renters do the same?

Or is being homeless somehow less inconvenient than using mould killer?

Something that is convieniently forgotten when SH tenants mention it. Unlike home owners who CHOSE to have it done it is forced on to SH tenants by the HAs.

And yet when a tenant mentions they have mould they are told its because of the way they are breathing or drying washing. Ive yet to see a home owner be told the same despite the fact they chose to have the insulation whereas as ive already explained the tenants had/have no such choice.

But the homeowners don’t whinge about it, they deal with it as they do with any home maintenance they require

Rude!