How to Prevent Mould in Rental Properties

When the news emerged recently that two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from respiratory failure caused by black mould in social housing in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, it shocked many people. Not only did it ask questions on the state of social properties, but it also alerted private tenants and landlords to how serious a hazard mould can be. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent mould from becoming a dangerous problem, but it needs buy-in from both the landlord and tenant.

Ajay Jagota of tenants’ rights organisation Veriwise claims that 25% of tenant complaints relate to damp and mouldspecifically. With this in mind, we have put together a list of ways to prevent mould in rental properties. It is worth sharing this with tenants so that you can work together to keep properties well maintained.

Who is Responsible for Mould in Rental Properties?

The responsibility for mould and damp in rental properties is shared between landlord and tenant.

Essentially, the landlord is in charge of preventing it by maintaining the structural elements, such as leaking gutters and pipeworks, rotten window frames, broken heating systems and so on.

The tenant is charged with preventing mould through lifestyle measures, such as ensuring there is adequate ventilation when cooking, drying clothes and other activities. However, if there is no way of ventilating the property, this could be the responsibility of the landlord or letting agent.

How Does Mould Form?

There are many forms of mould, but they usually thrive in damp and humid conditions. Mould is a microorganism and it breaks down dead organic material. You will find it on paintwork, wallpaper, wood and carpet, where there is a combination of warm air and moisture.

You can cause excess humidity in the home by boiling water, putting our wet washing or carrying out other activities where there is nowhere for the moisture to leave the property.

How to Prevent Mould

● Let light into your property. The darkness provides a perfect breeding ground for mould. Open the curtains and allow natural light to stream in.

● Regular cleaning also helps. This stops the mould from growing and reduces the number of spaces in which it can thrive.

● Reduce moisture by opening windows when drying clothes or cooking. Use extractor fans if you have them and put dehumidifiers into action.

● Look at the ventilation within the property. Open vents in windows if you have them, keep internal doors open unless you are cooking or showering, and even add vents in the roof if you can.

● Add insulation to your property to help reduce humidity in winter particularly.

● Check for leaks or other issues that could be causing moisture to enter your property. Fix anything you find to keep your rental property watertight and prevent mould from being able to form so easily.

Property Maintenance

Keeping on top of property maintenance is key for landlords looking to keep their rentals in good condition. However, this is easier said than done. It takes time that you just do not have. This is why outsourcing property maintenance is the perfect solution.

Landlords gain a professional and efficient service to keep their properties in good condition and tenants know that their issues will be sorted quickly and without fuss. If you want to know how Executive Property Management Solutions can transform your business, call us today on 0208 5757630.