Mould problems in the bathroom, who’s responsibility? Help

[minghuama]

I am a landlord and have rented out a newly refurbished flat. Only three months afterwards, there are some problems occurred in the newly refurbished bathroom. There is a window and a towel trails with electric heater element in the bathroom.
• The door will not stay closed it will swing open when the occupant of the bathroom is using the toilet or shower. The latch is faulty.
• The grout is splitting in places.
• The bath is stained and the seal is mouldy.
• The new curtain is mouldy.
Can you please tell me what’s normal wear and tear? Are the above problems normal wear and tear? And who’s responsibility for the repair work?
Thank you very much.

[muchlovex]

I would advise you to check the tenancy agreement thoroughly, as it should have a clause stating who is responsible for mould etc.

You should inform your tenant asap that after they have used bath/shower that they ventilate the room from the use of a window or extractor fan.

I rent three properties and have in our Tenancy Agreements that the tenant is responsible for any mould formation.
We have humidity sensors in fans in bathroom so it clicks on when air is humid, even if tenant doesn't switch it on.

Is there an extractor fan in the bathroom? If not, I would strongly recommend to have one installed asap.

[ummmm]

Mould is not wear and tear. Tenant's have no control over mould...

[snags]

As muchlovex says, install an extractor fan if there isn't one already. I can't see how mould and split grouting etc. in a newly refurbished bathroom can be the tenant's fault... there's just not enough ventilation.

[China Doll]

I think it's your responsibility to fix the latch as well as ensure there's appropriate ventilation so that mould isn't a problem. If this is done and mould still occurs, then I would expect a conversation with the tennent.

As an aside, if the door wasn't staying closed when I went for a pee, I would be spitting feathers with you for not getting it sorted asap or rembursing me if I got it fixed myself... It's hardly something that's meant for public viewing! Just offering you an alternative side to the coin.

[The-HouseHusband]

Door problem is down to the landlord and should be sorted soonest or the damp air from the bathroom will spread further along with the mould spores, causing more problems.

Staining of the bath is possibly a fault of the tenants but could also be a by product of the mould formations, therefore until you sort out the mould issue it is any ones guess.

Get an automatic extraction fan fitted that operates when humidity in the room raises above a set point, this will ensure that damp air is vented outside rather than wrecking the decor and fixtures. An auto fan also means the tenants can not forget to turn the extractor on when using the bathroom.

[Old_Geezer]

Well I can't answer from a legal perspective, but were I a tenant and the landlord tried to pin that lot on me I'd be fuming. And all the more so if it turned out to be in the small print that was unreasonably being held responsible for such things. It's one thing to say a tenant ought to use best practice to avoid problems, but ultimately it should be the landlord's responsibility to ensure things such as adequate ventilation and sufficient natural light exist. IMO the tenant should only be held responsible for problems clearly of their own making, and should be able to expect other problems to be fixed by the landlord within a reasonable period of time.

[droopdrawers]

Get a De Humidifier to cure the damp. It worked for us.

DD

[InfraredHome]

As a landlord you have a duty of care to ensure the health and wellbeing of your tenants in the property.
I have never been able to understand why people spend thousands of pounds renovating bathrooms for it then to be totally destroyed six months down the line due to inadequate ventilation. If your door is broken this will allow the vapour content generated during bathing to move around the homes atmosphere and further condensation and black spot mould will then form on any external walls or next to furniture where there is very little or no air movement. This might sound a bit harsh but when it comes to tenants you really have to make your property idiot proof to prevent damage to your home. As explained by someone who has already posted humidistat fans are a good option but a more effective option to control the humidity levels in the bathroom is to opt for a continuous duty extractor fan with a built in occupancy detector as this will allow both rapid and trickle ventilation 24/7 to ensure the internal atmosphere is less conductive to black spot mould and its harmful effects.