New tenant asks for maintenance work that is financially not viable

[Amadeaa]

My tenants moved in this week. They’ve asked me to undertake maintenance work which they believe are in my responsibility as a landlord, but these works are financially not viable. The costs would exceed the yield of a whole year’s rent with no guarantee that the problem might not reoccur within 6 months. I also don’t have this kind of money available right now. What are my options? They are at the start of a 1-year contract. I don’t think I can terminate the contract without any fault at the tenants side.
Should I offer them money if they agree to terminate the contract early?

Blimey @dizzygirl1 im actually finding that really upsetting for you.
All that mould Plus the cost of using a dehumidifier which is really expensive.
I’m sure you’ve looked into your rights but here’s some screen shots from Shelter UK.
Your landlord really has to deal with the mould.

Victorian property here and as I explained earlier I've only had issues with condensation when I know there's been something causing it. There is something causing a problem with the ops property and it needs sorting, I'm also dubious about the quotes

Why are panels are better than tiled bathrooms re: damp/ condensation? Just wondering as I'm about to redo my bathroom and even with window open and fan on it takes ages to de-steam.

I know, it's a bit like someone running a restaurant complaining that customers aren't happy with their mismatched knives and forks with bits of old egg on them and chipped plates and glasses, as that's how they (the proprietor) have things at home.

No one is an accidental landlord, except maybe if you inherited an already-tenanted property. Apart from that, EVERY landlord has CHOSEN to do it. And therefore needs to step up and do it properly.

The law is on the tenants side that's what landlords don't like. They want to blame the tenant but 9 times out of 10 there is a defect that needs repairing. Landlords think oh no that will cost thousands not necessarily repair the hole redo the pointing in the brickwork. It's when they leave it then that causes problems.

Exactly, @halfsiesonapotnoodle is the twat.

Damp is a tricky one. I rented a downstairs flat once. It had damp. Landlord xor a whole new damp proof course redone. It made absolutely no difference. These particular properties seem to just constantly have damp due to their original build. We loved there for a year with a dehumidifier and then those little pots of crystals everywhere. Wardrobes were the worst and a couple of our clothes went mouldy.

Im guessing a further thousands needed spending to sort the issue.

Buy them a dehumidifier. Offer them an opportunity to exit.

More than enough.

Well this is a very dull thread.

We hear there is a damp problem, i.e. excessive unwanted water. We don't know how it manifests itself, where it is, or where the water is coming from. There is talk of a £15k repair but we don't know what work is to be done, and since we don't know the source of the water, we don't know if the price is reasonable, or if the work will cure it.

For example, if there is a leaking pipe or drain, or roof, or broken gutter, silicone injections and replastering will not cure it. But a building repair could.

I lived in what sounds like a similar house…very very old single-glazed windows and a slight problem that did need fixing but landlord didn’t want to at that time. I think it would have had problems whatever work was done because it was hundreds of years old and used to be a dovecote. It was a very nice house apart from that and it wasn’t a problem because I kept the windows open. I did only live there for six months though and it was summer for a lot of that time.

However, a lot of tenants can’t even manage to keep a normal house mould free because they don’t air the house….then they complain to the agent that they have mould and expect it to be fixed. So yours is a tricky situation. I’d not be too subservient…after all,.you’ve lived there and it wasn’t a problem. You just need to make it clear to future tenants that they need to air the property.

OP you might consider explaining the damp problem and copying @PigletJohn who is exremely knowledgable and helpful in relation to house issues. 15k sounds like a lot and maybe there are simpler options to try.

Oh gosh silly me. Sorry, I read the first two pages. Only just realized @PigletJohn has already been here. Wish there was a delete button.

Some landlords can't sell because they're in negative equity and don't have the difference between what they'd sell the property for and the mortgage amount. So literally either rent out or keep it empty and pay the mortgage anyway. I think that's what's meant by an accidental landlord.

@Amadeaa where is the quote from? Have you had it checked by a proper expert and when?

There is always a reason for damp. The property had a defect that you couldn't see. All properties have a DPC it's a big con have this DPC injected in bricks and not where it should be injected doesn't solve the issue. If the defect isn't found and repaired them the property will remain damp. You should not have allowed your landlord to get away with it.

Most probably from a dodgy surveying company who claim they can do the work as well. The quotes I've seen you might as well knock the house down. These companies are crooks.

You said you have an agent, what do they say?

Hold your horses OP, is this a period property? As if so and you’ve been recommended damp proofing/injected damp course or anything similar, STOP. It doesn’t work, costs thousands, total con.

What actually is this issue? And what has been suggested?

I would get three quotes and not tell each what the previous one has said. We’ve had quotes recently ranging from £3-£10k. I’d also get a dehumidifier put in there.

The OP said it was an unusual build, she had to dry the windows every day because of the condensation issues, also it needs significant maintenance.
Hardly no problems.

Panels provide more insulation. Tiles are cold to the touch because they conduct heat, so on am exterior wall they will usually be colder. When warm, moist air in the bathroom hits a cold surface, the water condenses out and forms condensation on the cold surface. The idea with an extractor fan is that you're sucking the moisture out of the room while it's still in the air; once it's condensed out, you'd need to wipe it down.
You probably know, but - shut the bathroom door after you've had a bath or shower and leave it shut while the extractor fan clears the damp air. Opening the window may not help if the air outside is also damp eg it's been raining.

Sorry if I've missed this up-thread, but.. Unless the building has water leaking into it, most damp is caused by people cooking, washing and breathing without adequate ventilation. This was originally provided in older houses by drafts - air coming in around windows, and a constant current of air being drawn up chimneys. With the modern focus on energy efficiency, these drafts are greatly reduced eg double glazing, fireplaces closed. The water vapour produced by daily life is trapped indoors instead of being drawn up the chimney / out the drafty windows. Then, unless care is taken to manage the water vapour load in the home, this vapour condenses out on cold surfaces, causing damp. If air circulation is poor in that area eg behind furniture, then black mould growth is likely.
Managing this involves reducing the water vapour allowed into the air, and improving ventilation. Trickle vents in double glazed windows need to be open. Bathroom door shut during & after bathing & Extractor fans on. In the kitchen, when boiling /simmering, keep lids on pans to reduce condensation - this is more energy efficient too. Shut the door from kitchen to rest of home, & open a window or use extractor fan. Drying clothes indoors on racks/radiators is a major culprit - a condensing tumble dryer takes away a lot of problems. This stuff isn't controversial tbh - it's often advised by councils to social housing tenants. I think the problem is that older homes and modern energy - efficiency are not an easy mix.
There are whole-house ventilation systems which are ideal for managing condensation, but they're easiest to install in new builds.

We are just in the process of moving out of our period first floor flat. It has black mould on one side of the house. We understand it is from broken render.
However I once nearly died of pneumonia from a very specific mould in a rental. I was in hospital for 12 days. The house was judged unfit for habitation. It was knocked down after we left. We received no compensation and the landlord buggered off to Spain and refused to answer a court summons. Civil matter then but not now. Give your tenant an out if they want it and get the repairs done. Ignorance is no defence in law.

You need enough money in order to meet your responsibilities, yes.