A council is telling private tenants in its area to make contact if they believe their mould-related problems are not being solved by their landlords.
Fenland council says it is a “key priority” to endure that the rental properties within its boundaries do not contain health hazards such as damp and mould.
It says it believes most private landlords in Fenland maintain properties in a good condition, but the council will investigate complaints from tenants and take enforcement action where necessary.
Tenants who are not satisfied with the response of their landlord after raising a formal complaint about the condition of their home can use the council’s website to raise an alarm.
The authority says cases will be “assessed and triaged” to ensure the most urgent matters are given priority. Where appropriate, officers will carry out a property inspection and work with the landlord/agent to require remedial work to be carried out - with the power to serve legal notices if issues are not resolved.
Samantha Hoy, the councillor responsible for housing, says: "The demand on the council's housing department increases in the winter, as is to be expected. But this year, with the cost-of-living crisis and people reducing their use of heating, which can result in damp and mould growth, the number of enquiries is much greater than normal.
"The team can advise tenants on ways to help this and will support them if there are underlying issues that need to be resolved by their landlords. Protecting tenants from unsafe and poor housing conditions remains a big priority in Fenland and we will not hesitate to use powers to ensure standards are being met."
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The lady states ''people reducing their use of heating'' there's the problem, a property not heated and ventilated properly will suffer condensation resulting in damp and mould, a tenant issue, not a landlord one .
And guess who's fault it is when mould is discovered? You guessed it. And you have to put it all right costing £thousands. Home owners - especially the responsible older generations all coped and opened their windows and dried clothes outside. The Instagram generation don't know and don't care and will leave the windows closed. Some are just too lazy to open the windows.
Very good the Tenants should report the mould and mildew they caused to the Council, to have the landlords fined.
They are making a mockery out of the British Justice System.
"Protecting tenants from unsafe and poor housing conditions remains a big priority in Fenland" - how about protecting them from themselves? As we all know, most damp & mould is caused by tenants themselves!
I note the Council doesn't suggest tenants spray the mould with mould spray and then wipe it off!
It might not prevent a recurrence but it does differentiate between lifestyle and more serious issues, but then why try anything other than just blaming the landlord?
"... I note the Council doesn't suggest tenants spray the mould with mould spray and then wipe it off! "
Why do you say that? The quote says "The team can advise tenants on ways to help this......"
One vague phrase in a diatribe about how bad landlords are?
No wonder I missed it, or an interpretation that it's ever up to the tenants to try to help themselves!
I think most commenters above are being a bit unfair.
The quote says "The team can advise tenants on ways to help this ", and only then goes on to say "and will support them if there are underlying issues....". I read this as Fenland will tell tenants how to prevent what is preventable.
The very first sentence is putting the onus on the Landlord to deal with any mould issues and tenants urged to contact the Council if landlord doesn't do so.
I have one property which has twice had lots of mould but has had no such issues with around 20 other sets of tenants.
One holiday home let to one group for a month had mould afterwards but nothing with over 100 other groups over about 10 years.
In my experience, mould is usually down to lack of adequate ventilation and heating and not an inherent problem with the property
What’s missing here is the Petition to retain Section 21.
What does it matter about Section 24 if Section 21 is gone no point in being a landlord, if you own a Property that 38 degrees, Acorn & housing Secretary Mr James Brokenshire controls, its a nonsense it’s not Their Properly.
I have contacted RNLA on 2 occasions about service all Current Tenants Section 21 but they are fudging the issue and not given me clear guidance and I having been 16 years. Some of my Tenants have been with me for years on cheap Rents and I shouldn’t be put in this untenable position by outsiders imposing their will on me. I am £100k below Market Rents.
Very well said Michael. You have brought out the most important point.
So we have 38 degrees. Acorn, Mr James Brokenshire with 50k signatures to Scrap Section 21 although I think it’s taken them 4 years to get to that, so we can’t get there over night and much to late. I didn’t bother to mention Shelter, Generation Rent not least Alicia a Director, all chipping away at us not forgetting the Government & Council’s in collusion to destroy us. Who have we got to protect us it’s Disgraceful behaviour then some wants to accuse us of Discrimination, they should take a look in the mirror.
So they have Petition to ask Tenants do they want to take over the Landlords Property for ever and they said yes imagine that, what did you think they would say. Do me a favour what are you taking us for.
Mario, my friend it’s not complex at all, it’s as simple as A’B’C they are taking away control of our property, bought and owned by us.
Can I sue the Council every time I see one of their properties in disrepair?
There's no shortage of them in Norwich
If only!!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO MR MICHAEL GOVE AND ALL ROGUE REGULATORS EVERYWHERE.
Happy Christmas to all, and your very good health
Happy Christmas to you, Andrew, and to all the other excellent landlords on this forum!
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