.jpg)
Private tenants are being encouraged by a local council to report damp and mould issues to their landlords.
Shropshire council says private tenants should ask their landlords to investigate the reasons why mould has occurred.
And the council says this could be due to a number of factors such as a build-up of condensation on cold surfaces and walls, caused by how the property is used, such as a lack of heating or ventilation, or by repairs issues.
The council is even telling tenants to take photographs of the mould while the issue is investigated.
A spokesperson says: “As a council we are committed to ensuring that rented accommodation is free from serious hazards and, now winter is here, damp and mould can be a real problem.
“Tenants must not suffer in silence from mould and should ask their landlords to work to investigate why there is mould in a property. This could be due to a number of factors, but cannot be ignored or put down purely to the tenant’s/tenants’ lifestyle.
“If, after contacting your landlord, there has been no improvement, then contact our housing enforcement team for advice on what to do next.
“We work closely with social landlords with properties in Shropshire, and they share our aim to address damp and mould. Please report issues to them and they will help.
“We know most landlords are responsible, and are willing to comply with their obligations to ensure tenants have warm homes that are not cold and damp, which will help to improve their health and wellbeing.
“Landlords, irrespective of whether they own a single home or multiple homes, should adopt a proactive approach to the identification and tackling of damp and mould.
“They should understand the condition of their homes and adopt a preventative approach when dealing with damp and mould: improving ventilation, energy efficiency and addressing any defects before damp and mould becomes an issue, and before a complaint is made to the council.”
The council even tells landlords how they should respond, saying: “After receiving a report from their tenant a landlord should respond sensitively and assess the issue with urgency to identify the severity of the damp and mould and potential risks to tenants.”
It says landlords should also ensure tenants are informed about the steps that will be taken to remove mould and address any underlying issues and the timeframes for the work.
It advises the landlords to remove the mould, to address the health risk to tenants, using a qualified professional where appropriate; and then to identify and tackle the underlying causes of damp and mould, including building deficiencies, inadequate ventilation and condensation.
“Simply removing surface mould will not prevent the damp and mould from reappearing” it says in a statement.
Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.
A London Labour council is putting an extra £400,000 into enforcement...
Social housing, believed by some to be superior to private rental,...
A newspaper has discovered that over 1,500 warnings for damp or...
A local authority has issued a statement with advice to landlords...
The vast majority of tenants are unaware of new laws introduced...
Despite the recent tax crackdown, buy-to-let continues to look an attractive...
The property market had enjoyed a boost thanks to the outcome...
There wasn’t much by way of good news in the Spring...
National Landlord Investment Show has announced that the former Leader of...
Twenty twenty-four is a pivotal year for landlords in the Private...
The management of BTL properties, whether it's a modest collection of...
We are thrilled to report that the first National Landlord Investment...
If interest rate rises weren’t enough to drive landlords out the...
Landlords play a crucial role in providing safe and comfortable housing...
.jpg)
Calling all landlords, Investors and property professionals: National Landlord Investment Show...
A recent survey by digital mortgage lender, Molo, revealed that nearly...
In the buy to let market, success goes beyond the transaction...
Mohammed Sharaz, a landlord from Bradford, recently seized an opportunity to...
We believe a well-functioning housing system is one that meets everyone’s...
It’s not just the weather that’s wet and dreary – the...
As the ‘big buy-to-let’ sell off gathers momentum, we take a...
The challenges facing the property market right now are well reported;...
If you are a landlord looking for the silver lining in...
This year is set to bring sweeping rental reforms that will...
Landlords are exiting the market in droves. According to an accountancy firm...
%20(002).png)
Newable Finance, the finance brokerage & advisory arm of Newable, launches...
A council has prosecuted a landlord for letting out two HMOs...
The Labour-led government in Wales has issued a consultation proposing the...
Another council is looking for landlords with rental properties to match...
Another council is looking for landlords with rental properties to match...
.png)
Landlords and renters’ activists are at either end of the spectrum...
A prominent lettings sector expert is blaming the media for anti-landlord...
Who are you and what does it say on...
Who are you, and what does it say on...
Who are you? I am the Head of Broking for...
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
A bit tricky when the mould is caused by knackered pointing, the flat is leasehold, the freeholder is the Council and they have failed to repoint the brickwork for years. Every time they send a surveyor he looks at the problem, decides it will be expensive as the whole estate needs doing so decides the best course of action is to do nothing. Strange when they have sufficient budget to replace perfectly good roofs and install solar panels on hundreds of Council houses, especially as they would charge the leaseholders for the repointing.
If as they say the landlord will investigate and talk to the tenant…. What if the answer is for the tenant to put the heating on, open the windows and stop hanging dripping washing everywhere 😰😰. Do we think the tenant will accept the outcome 😂😂
According to Michael Give you can’t say that anymore even although it’s the cause. 🤡
And open the trickle vents and not use a fan heater to dry clothes on an airer in the front room. Both of these were from one of my tenants.
You should be careful there, as the logical conclusion to your argument is that if your property doesn't have any outside space for clothes drying then perhaps it isn't suitable to be rented out as a home.
I do not need to survey my properties to establish the cause of mould. They can be tenanted for years with no problems, then you get a different tenant in the property and bingo!! mould everywhere. Sort of gives me a clue as to the cause.
Totally agree. I’ve had exactly the same. Apparently we as landlords are now responsible for how our tenant chooses to live… go figure.
Condescending finger wagging lefty drivel:
"It advises the landlords to remove the mould, to address the health risk to tenants, using a qualified professional where appropriate; and then to identify and tackle the underlying causes of damp and mould, including building deficiencies, inadequate ventilation and condensation"
Just popping on my marigold gloves and jumping in the car to clean the tenants house for them.....
Isn't it the tenants responsibility to keep the property clean?
At the moment, John. Labour may have different ideas.
Tenants in Shropshire don’t forget to tell your Shropshire Council about to Mould & Damp you created and send them some photos.
Oh no on second thoughts not necessary it only applies to Private Tenants and Private Landlords akin to Licensing Schemes.
Or Camden Housing for not having smoke alarms in 9000 of their properties.
Look up Camden Council breach! If that was a private landlord he’d get arrested.
Actually there is an advert on television from a solicitors wanting SOCIAL HOUSING tenants in damp and mouldy accommodation to make a claim. Do they suspect councils and housing associations will settle quickly and out of court so they get commission for doing very little?
Plenty of advice on the internet on how to avoid damp. Plenty in my tenants' pack in every house I rent out. You can lead a horse to water.......
Seriously though, this has got much worse since the huge rise in the cost of gas & electricity. Many people are now simply not heating their homes or ventilating enough because of the cost. With prices higher than last for most this winter, because there is no Govt support, this problem will continue to get worse.
A surveyor told me he’s seeing a greater link between poverty and condensation sadly.
If a tenant is not capable of spending 20 minutes googling the causes and making appropriate changes to resolve the issue - then I don't have faith in their ability to do other grown up things in life like holding down a job.
By ignoring the most common causes of mould - the council are being irresponsible here and actually are prolonging the issue by encouraging tenants to believe there's nothing they can do to improve the situation. But why would of us be surprised at a council acting irresponsibly or with incompetence?
I would like to encourage all tenants in social housing to take photos and complain, probably find more issues there than in PRS houses.
My mam and dad are 75 are live in a council house. The flooring tiles were uplifting after about 10 years and the council came out a year ago. They have been informed that they have asbestos in the floor under the tiles and she is still waiting for them to return to do the repair!!!!! How is it us landlords have a constant battle and are blamed for not looking after our tenants and the council cant even sort their own properties out!! My tenant is drying washing constantly and she has a brand new heating system which apparently she does not like as she prefers a thermostat on the wall instead of on her phone to turn the heating on and off!! Damp is forming I wonder why!! Rant over
It's possible to have a wall thermostat for both hive and nest systems and I also prefer them to using my phone unless I am not in the property when I want to control the heating.
It will be cheaper to put on a wall mounted wireless thermostat than deal with dampness or mould later.
I must be one of the lucky landlords. My new tenant advised me that there was mould in the bedroom. I explained the causes of mould etc and gave them the usual information. The flat is fully double glazed and essentially a sealed unit unless windows are opened. The internal bathroom now has an electric extractor that goes on and runs automatically when the light is turned on.
After a couple of weeks I checked with the tenant who had purchased mould remover etc, washed down the walls and ventilated. Problem solved. I shall do my best to keep this tenant.
Nobody suffered from mould problems when we had draughty houses and a coal fire in just the living room. Unintended consequences of making homes airtight and insulating walls that used to breathe.
Please login to comment