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Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!

20 replies

allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 14:49

DDs room is extremely damp - I am almost certain this is being caused by penetrating damp, but my landlord says it’s condensation and I just need to keep cleaning it. This took hours every week through the winter, and breathing in all the chemicals really affected my chest. DD had to stay out of her room all day after it’d been cleaned (then it would come back so quickly), which she hated.

Can’t move out as nowhere else will have me (single parent on a low income in an expensive area). She has OCD (caused by a neurological condition that can be triggered by mould) and likely ASC, and will not switch rooms with me.

I’ve bought new furniture for her so have dismantled her wardrobe today. Behind it was this wet patch/ mould spores. There’s also a big wet patch near her light fitting (though this has dried out over the summer), and around her window. The walls have crumbling patches on them, and the ceiling has a big crack.

I’ve cleaned the walls today & got the dehumidifier going, though it’s a very old one the landlord gave me, so I’ll get a new one.

I’ve bought polyfilla, a smoother & sandpaper to try and fill in the holes in the walls & ceiling crack. Will this work?

I’ve also bought this damp proofing paint:

Https://amzn.eu/d/0S5jlrv

Which has really good reviews, even for penetrating damp. So I was going to put on a few coats of this before painting with normal paint.

I’m terrible at DIY (though trying to learn!) and have never painted a room before. Any & all tips would be much appreciated!

Alternatively, if anybody knows how to get the leak fixed properly & it’s not too expensive, I’ll absolutely go down that route and pay myself.

She's recently been awarded DLA and desperately wanted a 'room makeover' so most of the backpay has been spent on new furniture - desperate to prevent it all going mouldy, and really really want to give her her dream room.

Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
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Thread gallery
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allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 14:50

More pictures!

Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
OP posts:
Tulipvase · 01/10/2023 14:52

That absolutely doesn’t look like condensation! I’d go to the council if you are renting.

I wonder if the chimney is leaking? What’s on the other side of the wall?

SisterMichaelsHabit · 01/10/2023 15:02

Get advice from Shelter, landlords have a legal obligation to sort this out now after the landmark case last year. Paint won't dry on wet walls, sorry.

PigletJohn · 01/10/2023 15:05

Condensation is not cured by cleaning, but by ventilation.

Leave the window open all day, and do not drape wet washing indoors.

To me it looks more like a roof or gutter leak. Stand back and take pics of the entire wall, floor to ceiling, preferably unobstructed. Also of the outside wall, including roof, gutter and downpipes.

Tape clear plastic or clingfilm tightly to the wall. If it is condensation, water will form on the outside. If the wall is wet, water will form under the plastic.

Nomoreclots · 01/10/2023 15:10

Has your landlord actually inspected this..or had somebody in....thats more than condensation

MrsMoastyToasty · 01/10/2023 15:13

Go to environmental health services at your local council and report him if he refuses to do anything . They can take enforcement action which will ultimately mean he gets fined.
Appeal to his better nature. After all its his investment in property that is going to suffer in future when he eventually sells up, as he'll take a hit when any buyer sees the damp.

SquishyGloopyBum · 01/10/2023 15:17

That's not condensation op. Like others say, get onto env health about it. You should have to put up with that, nor try fix it yourself.

TheHappyCarrot · 01/10/2023 15:17

That's not condensation, especially at this time of year.

Elisheva · 01/10/2023 15:22

There is no point in redecorating the room until you have found and fixed the leak. The damp proof paint might stop the water showing on the walls (although I don’t think it will) but it will still be damaging the brickwork and plaster underneath. Your landlord has to resolve this.

allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 15:23

Tulipvase · 01/10/2023 14:52

That absolutely doesn’t look like condensation! I’d go to the council if you are renting.

I wonder if the chimney is leaking? What’s on the other side of the wall?

Yes! The chimney has always been boarded up (tbh I'd not really noticed it before Blush) but it does line up with the big wet patches. Here's a picture of the outside.

Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
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Janieforever · 01/10/2023 15:23

have you sent these images to the landlord? No one should be sleeping in there. That’s not condensation, it looks like both a leak and penetrating damp. It needs fixed urgently/

allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 15:25

Nomoreclots · 01/10/2023 15:10

Has your landlord actually inspected this..or had somebody in....thats more than condensation

The estate agent saw it in March's inspection and said she definitely didn't think it was condensation. They sent a roofer (without a ladder??) who looked inside and said the same. Then he never came back, and the landlord had said it's 100% condensation, common in old houses, ventilate and stay on top of cleaning etc etc - just gaslighting me basically!

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allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 15:27

SisterMichaelsHabit · 01/10/2023 15:02

Get advice from Shelter, landlords have a legal obligation to sort this out now after the landmark case last year. Paint won't dry on wet walls, sorry.

I'm just terrified of him not renewing my contract tbh. There is no protection for renters after they've reported their landlord. If section 21 got banned then I 100% would! But I've been homeless before, my daughter wouldn't cope in a hostel/ b&b for years - they are the most horrible places.

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allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 15:33

Janieforever · 01/10/2023 15:23

have you sent these images to the landlord? No one should be sleeping in there. That’s not condensation, it looks like both a leak and penetrating damp. It needs fixed urgently/

These are all from today but I've sent them much worse pictures last winter when the mould was so bad, like this.

I'll send these new ones to them - at this time of year (we're in the SE too so it's warm), maybe it'll mean more.

Thinking about saying I had a decorator round and they said they couldn't decorate it & there was definitely a leak/ penetrating damp. They just won't believe me!

Or if I could pay for a damp assessment, I'd do that if it was a hundred or £200? How much is it usually?

Help a novice decorate a damp, crumbling room!
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allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 15:35

PigletJohn · 01/10/2023 15:05

Condensation is not cured by cleaning, but by ventilation.

Leave the window open all day, and do not drape wet washing indoors.

To me it looks more like a roof or gutter leak. Stand back and take pics of the entire wall, floor to ceiling, preferably unobstructed. Also of the outside wall, including roof, gutter and downpipes.

Tape clear plastic or clingfilm tightly to the wall. If it is condensation, water will form on the outside. If the wall is wet, water will form under the plastic.

Yes, I do all of that already, I'm well versed in it now as it makes our lives hell! Doesn't help, and we don't have mould anywhere else in the house (eg in the bathroom/ kitchen) - there's no reason for only DDs room to be like this.

I've added a picture of the outside - DDs in there atm but I'll take full ones of the inside later.

The cling film tip is exactly the type of thing I was hoping for! Thank you, I will try that tomorrow.

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allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 15:59

Can anybody give me some ideas of what to say along with the pictures, to convince them it's definitely not condensation?

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TreesAtSea · 01/10/2023 17:57

I imagine they know very well that it's not condensation. They just can't be bothered to fix it. As PP have said, contact your council's housing dept or Citizens Advice.

allthedramamick · 01/10/2023 19:40

TreesAtSea · 01/10/2023 17:57

I imagine they know very well that it's not condensation. They just can't be bothered to fix it. As PP have said, contact your council's housing dept or Citizens Advice.

Yeah, I get that. When you've been homeless though, it's really terrifying to risk being back there again (which is a very high likelihood if my tenancy isn't renewed), especially with a disabled child who could not cope.

I will call shelter and see what they say, though their website does talk about the risk of revenge evictions. They should have proper laws in place to protect renters - I've paid my landlord almost £100,000 in rent! It's not right.

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allthedramamick · 04/10/2023 16:35

Little update: my landlord's selling up and is getting drones/ damp specialists in next week Angry after years of hell & our health being affected whilst he told me it was normal/ our fault/ definitely condensation. Don't think I've ever been so angry!

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Nomoreclots · 04/10/2023 19:28

What an arse. I hope you find somewhere lovely to live

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