Propertymark says it is unlikely that landlords alone can solve problems of damp and mould in some private rental sector properties.
Last week The Property Ombudsman gave new guidance to help agents, landlords and tenants deal with condensation, damp and mould in their homes.
A survey of 719 letting agents by TPO showed that nearly all had managed properties with damp and mould issues. Specifically 42% of lettings businesses had ongoing issues relating to damp and mould in properties while 9% of agents surveyed said they were ‘unconfident’ in landlords’ ability to recognise issues and 72% were confident of a quick resolution.
Now more details of that survey have been released by Propertymark, which says that at the time of the TPO survey letting agents reported 3,280 properties with current damp and mould issues, 81% of which were managed directly by landlords.
Although most agents felt that landlords understood that damp and mould could have serious consequences, in a significant minority of cases progress was hampered because property owners had to be educated about the potential impacts before agreeing to take any action.
In a statement on its website, Propertymark says: “Agents should routinely educate new tenants on practical steps that can help to tackle condensation, damp and mould. This is even more important if there are known or previous issues in the property.
“When surveyed, most agents preferred to provide information at the point of offer if a property was susceptible to damp and mould, or at check-in if the property was prone to condensation only.
“83% of respondents said that condensation due to a tenant’s household activities was the leading cause of dampness and mould, with drying clothes indoors, not using extractor fans whilst cooking or showering, and insufficient heating and ventilation the main contributing factors.
“The TPO highlights steps that agents can signpost to tenants which help to address excess moisture and condensation in their home, including wiping down windows, drying laundry outdoors or in a room with an extractor fan on, and maintaining a medium / low level of heat throughout the property.”
Propertymark states that once a potential problem is identified it must be taken seriously and action taken as quickly as possible. If residents have raised health concerns or are vulnerable due to age or pre-existing medical conditions, remediation should be carried out “with particular urgency.”
The trade body advises that communicating with the tenants during this time is crucial. Living with mould and damp can be extremely distressing so it is important to keep them up to date so they are assured you are being proactive.
You can see guidance on the issues from TPO and the UK Government.
