Tenants reporting really bad condensation; what can I do?

[MumOfTheMoos]

They first reported this at the start of Autumn, having been in the flat since May. I got them a dehumidifier but told them all the things they needed to do to avoid condensation (like not leaving clothes out to dry, opening windows etc).

Apparently they have been doing all of this, cleaning the walls but everything is going mouldy and the dehumidifier is on 24/7 and they're desperate.

I'm going to try and find so done to go in and have a look to see if there is anything that I can do; they've asked me to paint the walls with special anti fungicide paint.

Thing is there was no evidence of damp when we bought the place and all through last winter when it was either being done up or waiting for a tenant. Originally I was going to sell the place on having done it up (beautifully by the way) but now, I'm really keen to keep on renting it out but don't wasn't a mouldy flat.

So, my questions are:

1. is there anything that could be causing this excessive condensation that I can do something about
2. what are their and my rights re liability for it. My understanding is that I am not liable for damage as it is their actions that are causing the condensation but what I really want is happy tenants and a dry warm flat.

Are you sure it's condensation? I thought we had condensation but the roof was leaking in several places and since we got a new roof the 'condensation' stopped.

First off, don't presume it's the tenants causing it . It might be, but it may be a structural issue.

Damp and mould are environmental health issues so you need to call in an expert to assess what is going on.

I will check but there's another flat between them and the roof.

Hi Ragusa, if it's a structural issue what could it be? I had a pretty comprehensive survey done when we bought the place and there was no sign of damp then. Or last winter, or all through the summer - only since it started to get cooler in the autumn.

Is it in certain rooms only?

I have it really bad in one of my rooms, it is an extension room without insulation. So the condensation goes to the coldest part of the house.

You, natashaBee, I'm not sure. When I got them the dehumidifier , having already suggested they don't dry their wet clothes on the rack but use the tumble dryer instead, I did notice when I dropped it off they they still had their wet clothes out. But that was a couple of months ago and it seems to have got worse.

They're very young and seem to think I need to solve everything for them, which, if I am liable, I am happy to do but if it is condensation there seems to be a limit to what I can do.

Apparently it's in all the rooms (only a one bedroom flat) but three of the four walls are external.

LamaDrama, how do you deal with it then?

TBH, I would imagine they're still drying clothes on an airer. Is the tumble drier properly vented?

most places don't get too bad when empty because no-one is breathing or drying washing in there. UNLESS there is damp, i.e. a problem with the building.

is there an extractor fan in the bathroom? Is it working? Is it wired into the lights so they HAVE to use it?

ditto the kitchen - extractor fan?

are the walls insulated? (or is it an old place)

so that's the house. Regarding them - to help you find the cause, you really need to know how they dry their washing, if they spend hours in the shower, do they cook with lids on, and do they know that you need to ventilate a place and wipe down windows each morning? Only needs 5 mins with windows open.

tricky to handle, but try and get them on-side as it will help them as well as you.

fungicide paint won't help. I'm afraid as it has started at the time it did, the cause does point to them. Eliminate the easy stuff first.

Do they put the heating on? My house gets damp when we don't turn the heating on for at least a couple of hours per day

We get terrible condensation in the rooms in our house which have older double glazing (probably the insulation is totally defunct in these.) Where we have had to replace windows the condensation is miraculously cured despite being no more or less ventilated.

And no we can't afford to replace all the other windows.

I have a condensor tumble drier, which helps a bit.

I have to keep wiping the walls, its awful &
I have heard fan vents in the wall will really help.

A few tips here here

Trouble is, most people are as thick as mince and you really need to spell it out to them.

Go around if poss and say:

1. Do NOT dry clothes on the radiators/backs of chairs. When you do this with ONE load of washing you put TWO litres of air in the flat. (i.e., tell them how and why - actions/consequences)

2. You MUST open the windows EVERY day for 15 minutes. This is because just by breathing you will release x litres (is it 4?) of damp into the flat. You must open the window to allow the air to circulate and the damp out.

3. Curtains MUST be opened daily. If you do not do this, mildew will grow on the windows.

Honestly, most people don't get cause and effect so you'll just have to spell it out.

I've never known condensation the way I've seen it described on mn, and yet I've had over 40 addresses. Either I'm the luckiest tenant on earth, or I don't choose to live in a shit pit.

Do the windows have vents? Ask neighbours if they have similar problems? Spot check the tenants re heating and laundry? (Not sure legally how you stand on that last one?)

We leave several windows open on the latch upstairs for the whole day, you still get a little mould growing so you have to clean it fairly regularly etc. They do need to be told what to do. Have they got furniture right up against the external walls or is it pulled forward giving room for the air to circulate?

I always have the kitchen fan on when I tumble dry (condenser dryer). Makes a huge difference.

There is an extractor fan in the bathroom, which is set to come on when the light comes on and keep going until there's no more damp but it also has an isolator switch so they can turn it off - my mistake...

Possible structural issues: windows painted shut; poorly insulated property ( no cavity wall insulation, floorboards with draughts, no loft insulation, poor construction quality, single glazing, defunct double glazing, blocked up ventilation panels);

Inefficient boiler or other heating system that they are reluctant to run because it's costly;

No extractors or extractors incorrectly sited and not complying with building regs.
....

And the biggie, damp or water ingress: unless you had a full structural survey and can be certain this is not an issue (problems can develop quickly) then don't rule it out.

Please don't assume the tenants are, to quote another poster, "thick as mince". They may be liable but you don't know yet.

Is there a dryer or outside drying space? If not, how should they dry their washing?

There's double glazing but I doubt the walls are insulated. There is an extractor fan in the bathroom and there is a tumble dryer and also space to dry outside. The boiler is brand new. The windows are not painted shut.

The reason you didn't get any damp last year was because no one was living there.

In an old property you can get condensation by just breathing especially if the walls are uninsulated as you say.

Have you got window vents?

Re drying washing - not all clothes can go in a tumble dryer - they may have no choice but to dry some things on an airer. So ask them to use only the bathroom to dry clothes, with the window open and fan on. I presume you've got good extractor fans? Check they know that having the heating on and opening windows is important.

Condensation won't have been a problem when there was no-one living (breathing) in there.

I'd try and keep them on side if they are otherwise good tenants. We left a house because of mould issues. (Not the landlord's fault though as there was damp coming from next door.)

Pigletjohn has sorme great knowledge on this issue so might be worth PMing him to ask for advice.

Wrt spot checking for how they are drying washing- check your contract but usually you have to give 24 hours notice for visits/inspections however they are not obliged to let yoh or anyone in regardless of what it says in the contract. The only people who can enter the property without a court ordered warrant are customs and excise.

Back to the windows. Previously we had double glazing but no vents in them. Do yours have vents? Definitely contributes to condensation, a little air circulation makes a difference. . I am sure I read that they could be fitted retrospectively. Also poundland do condensation catchers. My mum uses them. Surprisingly effective. Can be left in corners.