Dealing with damp/mould

[admylin]

We have been searching for a place to rent for ages now. Finaly found a place, perfect, big and in exactly the place we want to be, even with own garden. Now it turns out there is damp and mould on the outside walls of 2 of the bigger rooms. We are driving to meet the owners this weekend and wanted to sound as if I know what I'm talking about.

They have offered to redecorate the 2 rooms before we move in but I think maybe it could be more than just decorating that needs to be done. Anyone have experience in dealing with a damp mouldy wall?

It's low down, not the whole wall maybe the bottom third under window and into the corner, grey mould on surface which can be wiped off but comes back and the wallpaper is crinkly with the damp.

Sounds like rising damp - ie wetness coming in from the outside. This is due to the property either having no damp course, or if there is a damp course it is damaged.
If it is wet and mouldy now, it will only get much worse over the winter. The spores from the mould could also be a health issue, especially for any asthma sufferers in the family.
The landlord should remedy this - it is fairly simple to have a damp course injected around the external walls. There is obviously a cost, which in my experience, landlords prefer to avoid.
Technically, if a property is not "substantially free from damp" then it is not fit for human habitation so this is something that the landlord should put right if the house is to be let out. The damp will also damage the property over time, so it makes sense to sort it sooner rather than later.
Good luck - it sounds as though you have fallen in love with the house.

Might be rising damp but might also be condensation - we've had that in 2 houses under the bay windows. I just open a window to air (yes even in November!), wipe down the windows and walls if they are mouldy. We have a damp course, so it's not rising damp and it only happens in the colder months when the heating is on. In our old house, we got rid of the wallpaper and painted the walls with some special paint (damp proof, water proof I can't remember, but it was probably from b&q or wickes). Obviously painted walls are easy to keep clean.

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know , so if it is fairly simple to have a damp course injected around the external walls and they are willing to do it then it should be OK. Any idea how long something like that takes to do? If they had 2 weeks to fix it all would that be reasonable do you think?

It takes days, not weeks.

It is expensive though (I think) and can't be done to every property. Our house does not have one, and would be impossible to have it done.