Who’s responsible for mould in a rental property – the landlord or the tenant?
One of the questions we are often asked by both landlords and tenants is ‘who's responsibility is it to deal with mould’. The answer is often not as straight forward as we'd like.
I’m sure many of you will have read or heard about the tragic death of a 2-year-old boy who died after prolonged exposure to mould.
One of the questions we are often asked by both landlords and tenants is ‘who's responsibility is it to deal with mould’. The answer is often not as straight forward as we'd like.
‘Ask yourself when was your last inspection? Were there any signs of mould?’
What we know... properties have a damp proof course to prevent rising damp getting into them but on occasions this can fail, and this can lead to issues with damp and mould.
There is then damp which is caused by water entering the building, usually by maintenance issues to guttering (either blocked or broken), damaged roof tiles, rotten window and door frames.
These two causes above are more than likely to be the Landlords responsibility as the cause will be linked to the fabric of the property.
The third one, and the most common one, is damp which is caused by condensation. Whilst each case is different, usually damp caused by condensation would be a tenant issue as it is likely caused by poor ventilation, lack of heat in the property and letting steam drift from room to room (kitchens and bathrooms), all of which over a period of time can result in mould issues.
What actions can a Landlord take:
Damp and Mould are part of the Homes (fitness for human habitation) Act; so it is essential that you make sure there are no visible issues at your property .
At the commencement of a tenancy provide the tenants with information on simple actions they can take to avoid excess condensation. This should help problems occurring in the first instance.
On interim inspections look out for any visible signs of mould or potential issues and record your findings as part of your inspection report. Ensure you confirm any issues in writing to your tenant with either a plan of what you will do or what you expect them to do. Confirm when you plan to reinspect.
Deal with any reported issues in line with your maintenance procedures.
Working with your tenants should ensure they are living in a safe home and you maintain the value of your investment.
We can carry out one off inspections and health checks for any landlord ... we do not have to manage the property, simply Click to arrange.