Q. What’s causing the damp and mould in my accommodation?

Mould is caused by damp conditions. Sometimes it's easy to spot the cause of damp. 

Your responsibilities

You are expected to properly ventilate and heat your home so that damp doesn't build up.

Try to keep your home properly heated. It usually helps to have a low background temperature of at least 15 degrees in all rooms.

Everyday activities like cooking, showering and drying clothes create moisture in your home which can lead to condensation. Here are some tips to control moisture:

• cover pans when cooking
• use extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms
• close internal doors when cooking or showering
• leave a gap between furniture and external walls
• dry clothes outdoors
• open bedroom windows for 5-10 minutes when you get up
• do not block permanent ventilators
• do not draughtproof rooms where there is a fuel burning heater (e.g. gas fire)
• do not draughtproof windows in bathrooms and kitchens
• in cold weather, the best way to keep rooms warm enough to avoid  condensation is to keep low  background heating on all day.  When the home is warmer, condensation is less likely to occur.

Condensation

Condensation is the most common form of damp in rented properties.

It appears when excess moisture in the air comes into contact with a cold surface, such as a window or a cold wall, it can lead to mould growth and tends to be worse in winter.

It can be caused by a tenant not ventilating or heating their home properly- in that situation you could incur charges for damages (including cleaning).

It can also be caused by poor insulation, or faulty heating and ventilation systems, which you would require to report on FixFlo. 

Penetrating damp

Penetrating damp is caused by water coming through external walls or the roof. It can also happen when there is an internal leak or plumbing problem.

Because penetrating damp is caused by repair issues please report it on FixFlo.

Rising damp

When moisture beneath a building is soaked up into the bricks or concrete it is known as rising damp.

Rising damp is hard to deal with. Some buildings, for example older properties, are more vulnerable to rising damp. Sometimes it can be caused by a repair issue.

If it's a repair issue such as a broken damp proof course- please report it on FixFlo.