Damp in rented house

[Recycledblonde]

We’ve moved into a rented detached house. It’s been renovated approx 2 years ago and is very warm with unbelievably good double glazing. We’ve got a mould problem in the main bedroom and the lounge, both of which have outside walls, the mould appears on these walls only. I open the windows everyday, it’s always warm and keep the extractor fan on in the en-suite for an hour or so after a shower. We don’t dry washing inside apart from in the utility room where the boiler is and we keep that door shut, no sign of mould in there at all.
Do I need to get a dehumidifier, and if so, is there a relatively cheap one I can get? I don’t want to spend a fortune as it’s a rented property. We love the house apart from this issue.

Have the gutters been checked at that side of the house

Tell the landlord and see what he or she does. You need to notify them now and spell out that it's not caused by your behaviour (drying washing, never opening windows etc) so you don't get stung for mouldy walls at the end of the tenancy.

Sounds like it might need better ventilation.

Gutters are all fine, we’ve just had an inspection so I’ve asked them to let the landlord know. I don’t think they slept in the room we use but it is the master bedroom and we’d like to carry on using it. I’ve made sure all the furniture has a good gap behind it to allow for air circulation.

Can you post pictures of the damp/mouldy areas

Not at the moment as I’ve just cleaned them. 😀It’s normal black mould in the corner of the room just above the skirting board. Only a small patch. The windows have some condensation on them in the mornings which I dry off and open the windows. The road is too noisy to have them open all night, there’s a mainline railway just across the road.

@EnidFrighten

Tell the landlord and see what he or she does. You need to notify them now and spell out that it's not caused by your behaviour (drying washing, never opening windows etc) so you don't get stung for mouldy walls at the end of the tenancy.

Sounds like it might need better ventilation.

^ this. I expect you need ventilation like an airbrick or something - or for your landlord to buy a dehumidifier for you

Short term, one thing to do is get a fan if you already have one & position it to 'push' air out of the room when you open windows (& open windows on opposite sides of house to get a cross breeze)

I have limited knowledge of dehumidifiers, but the small £50 don't do much

You defiintely need to get it in writing to the landlord or letting agent that there is an issue and you are not drying laundry in the room etc Don't rely on the letting agent to pass it on verbally.

It sounds like there is inadequate ventilation if there is condensation in the mornings. You need to have the windows open in all the rooms (so there is a cross draught) every morning for 5-10 mins.

If the rooms affected are above each other, it is also worth checking to see if it is a structural issue eg a leaking gutter or drainpipe.

Are you sure it's damp and not condensation? Do you dry washing inside?

Is the ground outside higher than the damp course?

No idea about the damp course. Only ever dry washing in the utility room with the door closed as the boiler is there and the room is very warm. There’s only the two of us so not a huge amount of washing anyway. No radiators downstairs as there’s underfloor heating.
The mould is only in two rooms and only a small amount so I can keep on top of it but would rather it wasn’t there. Landlords have been informed in writing.

@Recycledblonde: is it the same outside wall? (Ie bedroom wall on top of living room wall?) - which might point to a need for eg gutter repair ….?