Damp condensation and mould in rental property
In this article, you’ll find how to deal with damp and mould in rental property solutions as a landlord.
It is necessary to advise tenants of their responsibilities in terms of keeping the property in tip-top condition.
This will also allow you to finalize any costs that may arise at the end of tenancy with ease.
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Try suggesting them these 7 tips on how to deal with damp and mould in a rental property.
Open all windows and curtains as often as possible to ventilate the house, especially if it’s double glazed.
Improved insulation and double-glazing mean homes are now exceptionally well-protected from external elements that during colder months there will barely any fresh air circulating unless tenants open windows to air the property specifically.
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When showering, switch on the bathroom extractor fan.
Open a window after showering to release the hot air and leave the bathroom door open. If hot, damp air is left to dry out on bathroom walls it quickly turns to mould in these conditions. Apart from looking and smelling awful, if mould is left for a long time it also becomes a health risk.
Ensure to heat the property evenly.
During winter, make sure the property is heated evenly. Do not only heat the lounge and bedrooms but not the bathroom and kitchen, for example. This will highly likely still lead to condensation.
Keep the heating on low even when not at home.
During the very cold months, it’s more cost-effective and energy-efficient to heat a house through the day on a low temperature rather than blasting the heating for a few hours in the evenings.
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Keep the heating on low when the property is vacant.
During very cold periods it’s advisable to heat the building on a very low setting, so pipes don’t freeze and consequently burst.
When cooking, use saucepan lids as well as the kitchen extractor fan to disperse cooking vapours efficiently.
If there’s no extractor fan, open a window while cooking.
Don’t dry clothes in rooms or on radiators.
If you do dry clothes at home, open a window, otherwise the damp air will stick to the walls and cause mould to appear. What are the common landlord pitfalls?
Don’t overfill the house with furniture.
Air needs to circulate around sofas and cupboards too. It’s also advisable to avoid positioning wardrobes against external walls; put them against internal walls where possible.
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Damp condensation and mould in rental property: How to remove mould
- Be proactive and tackle mould at the first signs. If you leave it to spread, it will be much harder to remove.
- Mould is easy to remove if caught early. Mix bleach and hot water in a 1:4 ratio (one part bleach, four parts water). Using a hard brush, scrub away until it completely disappears. To finish, wash with water and dry.
- Remember to clean all mould off completely. If you leave any it’ll grow back again.
- Dry-clean any clothes, toys and soft furnishings that have grown mould.
- If mould has grown into carpets and sofas, use a reputable carpet and upholstery cleaning service.
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