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I'm a tenant and my landlord is over his head
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In my experience its usual (or at least it used to be) in the British isles to open windows on a regular basis. People seem to have got out of the habit.
Yeah, it slightly grosses me out that there are people who don't open their windows. The window in our bedroom is opened every day. Even if it's just for 10 minutes. It's only hygiene.0 -
The apartment doesn't hold any heat windows closed or open. It's poorly insulated, and did not have an energy rating on daft. If I were to give it one, it might be Z (A being really good).
Well, here's the irony....If it was so badly insulated - and by inference - far from airtight, there would be less likelihood of mould issues - not more!
A few things...
1. Those saying that those issues couldn't be caused by occupant behaviour are the ones that are deluded! That incorporates, use of clothes horses indoors and failure to ventilate properly. Not opening windows 'because it's freezing' in winter is bs! Every dweller has to deal with that - you open windows for a period in the mornings at the very least. That's your responsibility.
Furthermore, presumably you both use a shower? How much water vapour does that produce if it's not being ventilated?
2. All you had to do was drop a bit of bleach into a bucket of water and go round and sponge the areas in question - job done.
3. If he is in his 60's then yes, he does have more experience with regard to such issues - regardless that you are a 'scientist'. Have a bit of respect for your elders!
4. He was pissed off with the state of the property and expressed it - you retaliated - by not facilitating viewings (you say you're both very busy, yada, yada - but it's pretty clear how things rolled and that this is very much secondary). There's nothing grown up about that. Maybe because he's got a bit of life experience behind him, he's told you this isn't clever - he's pointed it out to you and yet you are stubbornly going the lose/lose direction and not the mutually beneficial one.
5. Someone suggested that you should infer that you'd cause major damage - It's revealing about that poster and a nasty minority of people. The attitude and approach of a total scumbag.
6. You complain about the heating system - but you knew that going in. People have to be responsible for their own actions and decisions.
Interesting..bublypop wrote:have my own house and i rent out a room to a couple. They do a lot more washing than I do.
There's no where to dry clothes in this weather apart from either putting out a clothes horse or using a tumble dryer.
We dont want huge electric bills, so we have to use a clothes horse.
I don't have damp.
Just saying.
I too did the rent a room gig over a 6 year period. During that time, the presence of mould was completely linked to occupant behaviour. i.e. there were guys that NEVER opened a window - ever - and there were guys who did. With the fomer, there were major blooms of mould. When it first occurred, the occupant told me - and said it must be a structural issue, water ingress, etc. At the time, I thought he's probably right. Next guy that took that room - there was no issue whatsoever. The guy after that, not only was there an issue, he never told me - and let it develop into a major 'bloom'.
That room has been largely unoccupied for the last couple of years - and no sign whatsoever of any such issue.0 -
makeorbrake wrote: »Well, here's the irony....If it was so badly insulated - and by inference - far from airtight, there would be less likelihood of mould issues - not more!
A few things...
1. Those saying that those issues couldn't be caused by occupant behaviour are the ones that are deluded! That incorporates, use of clothes horses indoors and failure to ventilate properly. Not opening windows 'because it's freezing' in winter is bs! Every dweller has to deal with that - you open windows for a period in the mornings at the very least. That's your responsibility.
Furthermore, presumably you both use a shower? How much water vapour does that produce if it's not being ventilated?
2. All you had to do was drop a bit of bleach into a bucket of water and go round and sponge the areas in question - job done.
3. If he is in his 60's then yes, he does have more experience with regard to such issues - regardless that you are a 'scientist'. Have a bit of respect for your elders!
4. He was pissed off with the state of the property and expressed it - you retaliated - by not facilitating viewings (you say you're both very busy, yada, yada - but it's pretty clear how things rolled and that this is very much secondary). There's nothing grown up about that. Maybe because he's got a bit of life experience behind him, he's told you this isn't clever - he's pointed it out to you and yet you are stubbornly going the lose/lose direction and not the mutually beneficial one.
5. Someone suggested that you should infer that you'd cause major damage - It's revealing about that poster and a nasty minority of people. The attitude and approach of a total scumbag.
6. You complain about the heating system - but you knew that going in. People have to be responsible for their own actions and decisions.
Interesting..
I too did the rent a room gig over a 6 year period. During that time, the presence of mould was completely linked to occupant behaviour. i.e. there were guys that NEVER opened a window - ever - and there were guys who did. With the fomer, there were major blooms of mould. When it first occurred, the occupant told me - and said it must be a structural issue, water ingress, etc. At the time, I thought he's probably right. Next guy that took that room - there was no issue whatsoever. The guy after that, not only was there an issue, he never told me - and let it develop into a major 'bloom'.
That room has been largely unoccupied for the last couple of years - and no sign whatsoever of any such issue.
I own my house. Almost always dry clothes indoors. Only open windows if it is too hot in summer. Never to "air room". I have no mould and have never had mould. A house that gets mouldy by drying clothes or people living in it doing normal activities is a crap house.
The average person exhales about 400mls of water vapour a day. So a family of 4 breaths out about 1.5kgs of water a day or about half a ton of water a year. Add to that another 1kg a day in sweat from the 4 (only some of which is captured in clothes) and you quickly see how little effect a clothes horse has on the water vapour content of a house0 -
What's the point of quoting something, then completely ignoring what was said in it.
There no point making a sweeping generalisations when you could be talking about airtight well insulated modern house vs some relic from the 1920's. You'll have completely different problems in both. Likewise you have have a house with a design or construction flaw, or simply a leak. There so many variables. But if a house has no problems with numerous different tenants, but does with one tenant, it may something they are doing. That is just logic.0 -
If there there is a problem with damp letting the LL find out about almost a year later is going to cause problems. Even if its not your fault.0
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What's the point of quoting something, then completely ignoring what was said in it.
There no point making a sweeping generalisations when you could be talking about airtight well insulated modern house vs some relic from the 1920's. You'll have completely different problems in both. Likewise you have have a house with a design or construction flaw, or simply a leak. There so many variables. But if a house has no problems with numerous different tenants, but does with one tenant, it may something they are doing. That is just logic.
Was this post directed at me? If so what did I ignore? Makeorbrake was making the point that it is how people live that dictates chances of mould developing. My point is that this is untrue and that a house that becomes mouldy by people drying clothes indoors is a crap house. Yes the house may be modern or from the 1920s in which cases it is either an old crap house or a modern crap house.
Makeorbrake also gave the example of renting out a room and suffering damp in that room. In other words he was actually living in the house and presumably ventilating the house ("opening windows in all rooms in the mornings at the very least") but with 2 tenants he had damp issues. How airtight was that bedroom? How cut off was this bedroom from the rest of the well ventilated house? What could these 2 people possible be doing in that room that caused damp in an otherwise well ventilated house? Unless that room had a sauna in it there is no possibility that 2 people could have caused damp unless there was an issue with the actual room itself.0 -
A house that gets mouldy by drying clothes or people living in it doing normal activities is a crap house.
The average person exhales about 400mls of water vapour a day. So a family of 4 breaths out about 1.5kgs of water a day or about half a ton of water a year. Add to that another 1kg a day in sweat from the 4 (only some of which is captured in clothes) and you quickly see how little effect a clothes horse has on the water vapour content of a house
Thanks for making my point for me! So effectively, this adds to the issue? Agreed. So add to that, the water vapour from 2x showers per day and clothes being dryed indoors - with the backdrop of a house whereby the op has admitted he hasn't ventilated as he should have done - and we arrive at the answer I've already given. i.e. it's as a result of occupant behaviour.
A 'crap house' - is that your technical explanation? The issue with mould has been more of an issue in very recent times due to standards IMPRoVING! The more airtight a house becomes, the more of an issue there will be with mould (in the absence of the occupier facilitating ventilation).A house that gets mouldy by drying clothes or people living in it doing normal activities is a crap house.
Christ on a bike! Are you capable of rational thought or just simply blinded by your own coloured view of things???OMD wrote:How cut off was this bedroom from the rest of the well ventilated house? What could these 2 people possible be doing in that room that caused damp in an otherwise well ventilated house? Unless that room had a sauna in it there is no possibility that 2 people could have caused damp unless there was an issue with the actual room itself.
I explained that in the case of the two occupants that NEVER (you see that word "NEVER"?) opened a window, there was an issue with mould. In the case of ALL other occupants (who did ensure the room - THE VERY SAME RooM - was ventilated), there was no such issue. Furthermore, there has been no such issue in that room for 4 years now.
Do you still want to keep maintaining that BLACK is WHITE?
You know what that means? I'll tell you...OMD wrote:I own my house. Almost always dry clothes indoors. Only open windows if it is too hot in summer. Never to "air room". I have no mould and have never had mould. A house that gets mouldy by drying clothes or people living in it doing normal activities is a crap house.
It means that my Celtic Tiger Era gaff is far superior to yours (and given the timeframe of build, that's saying something!)! If it had the faintest degree of airtightness, then you would have mould as a result of those practices. Evidently, there's enough of a breeze blowing through pipes, doors, windows, plug sockets, attic trap doors, air vents, unsealed walls, etc to mean that you don't need to open a ruddy window...0 -
Tomorrow's judgement day for us.
Bottom line is, we've kept the apartment in immaculate condition and have paid our rent of EUR 1400 on time for the past 12 months. There is mold growing in some areas, and we have a conflict of opinion on its source. I have not been supplied with a Building Energy Rating which, according to this (http://www.daft.ie/building-energy-rating-ber), is a legal requirement.
The way our LL has carried himself is like we've been graffiting on the walls, and we've had enough
And to the fella who said I should just let him come in and paint while we are STILL LIVING THERE AND HAVE PAID 1400 TO DO SO, this isn't student accommodation. The water boiler broke previously and flooded the hallway - that's different, I readily informed him and he fixed it as he should. But painting over mold so he can cover up a mess to try and get a tenant in as early as possible all so he PROFITS - no thank you.
I will get every cent of my deposit back or there will be war :pac:0 -
You want a medal for paying your rent on time? To normal people, it's an expectation - not an extraordinary event!Bottom line is, we've kept the apartment in immaculate condition and have paid our rent of EUR 1400 on time for the past 12 months.
Clearly, the two of you are at loggerheads as regards whether you kept the apartment in shape.
With this, any respect I had for you is completely lost. You're just scrambling for cover! WHY bring this up now? I will bet my house on it that you have NEVER brought this up before! You're just looking for an angle to screw him over with. If you really had an issue with this, you would have brought it up before.I have not been supplied with a Building Energy Rating which, according to this (http://www.daft.ie/building-energy-rating-ber), is a legal requirement.
It depends on whether it's painting over a fundamental issue or painting over an occupant behavioural issue caused by YoU!? Either way, how are you so fixed as regards to his future 'profits'??....unless of course you are of the bitter and twisted mindset...But painting over mold so he can cover up a mess to try and get a tenant in as early as possible all so he PROFITS - no thank you.
Based on your version of events alone, my prediciton is that there will be war - and to the detriment of both of you.I will get every cent of my deposit back or there will be war :pac:0 -
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Well of course I'm looking for cover. He's got his 12 months rent in the bank, he owes us a deposit. The way I see it, he has us by the balls and thinks he can walk all over us by blaming this dampness on us. The BER rating seems to me like an interesting solution if it comes to that (hopefully not). I never brought it up before, but neither has he. He claims the apartment is well insulated and it's our laundrette behavior + normal breathing + our lack of opening windows + our lack of turning on heat (which we can back up from energy bills) which has caused the mold. I am saying it's the apartment, it's ****e for ventilation and maintaining heat basically and there's been a water tank breach on the roof, and a water boiler flood inside in the space of a few months.
The BER calculation includes energy use for building fabric, space heating, water heating, ventilation and lighting and is calculated on the basis of standard occupancy. If I were to get an engineer in and do it for me, I'd guarantee you from actually living here that the result for ventilation is poor.
We'll be reasonable and try to come to an agreement, that's why we accepted his 'self-invitation'.
I don't get what your problem is. Landlords are not entitled to walk all over tenants. I'm paying to live in the apartment, and I didn't sign up to have the apartment painted inside while we're still living there. I mention the 1400 because it's what we pay and I mentioned this to him to which he replied on the phone I don't care if it's 160,000 I've received in the last 12 months. Then why does he not just leave us the **** alone, give us back our full deposit, and do whatever he wants with the apartment after we move out.0 -
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Labarbapostiza wrote: »This B***** has been in his game longer than you've been in yours.
There's dispute resolution with the tenancy board. I've no idea how well that goes. (in my experience they are landlord friendly). You may not get any money back or only a portion.
The best thing to do is dig your heals in, and don't come across as push overs. Whatever you do, do not hand over the keys until you get your money. If he thinks you're going to trash the place, and cause more than the deposits worth worth of damage, he'll likely poney up.
Thats great advice, you tell the OP to break agreements and then go the dispute resolution process??
The landlord is not expected or required to hand over the deposit immediately, and how or why would they if they have been refused access, otherwise how are they to determine if there are any faults?We use both the dryer which is in an outside shed on the balcony, and the clothes hoarse. Otherwise the energy bill would be sky high.
When the clothes hoarse is used and we are in the apartment the windows are open to allow ventilation. If the weather is bad, the windows are closed and the heating is on. If we are not in the apartment, the windows are closed for security reasons which he doesn't understand and I can understand a bit of a buildup of condensation in the windows. But this doesn't correlate with the damness in the bedroom which is like a mile away from the clothes hoarse or the area in the kitchen.
The heating in the apartment uses old heaters that are mounted on the wall. If it had an energy rating it would be Z3. 60 mins heating will barely heat up the apartment, and after 10 mins of turning it off, the apartment would be cold yet again and you can see water vapour from our breath.
The clothes do not come out dripping wet, if they did I'd tell him to get a new washing machine. I have used clothes hoarse inside all of my previous tenancies and never had a problem with dampness, not once.
I'm a scientist.. I explained to him that the mold is a recurring problem and he says for the 30 years he's been renting there he's never seen it, I said previos tenants just haven't told you and cleaned it up themselves but it will always come back unless you permanently fix the problem.
So you admit to not running the heating, in these last few months, mine has been on quite a bit, with a small child and drying lots of clothes its necessary as it is for anyone, children or not. Any water vapour from occupation, showering, washing,cooking,drying clothes contributes moisture that has to be expelled. I never had a problem with mould in my home, aside from a year letting when I didnt need to use it, tenant had shut off rads, both sides, balancing valve, summer valve, all windows locked and found vents blocked, in an effort to save money on heating, only time I ever came across mould which they had the gall to complain about and I had to clean, never happened again.
The windows are closed for security reasons? didnt you say this was a penthouse?? sounds like you're being tight or dont have a clue, moisture trapped in there all day has caused mould and yes it can occur in a short space of time.
Most residential buildings use heaters mounted on the walls? what of it? what kind are they? you said the boiler was replaced so Im assuming standard central heating system radiators? and not electric convection heaters. The former is what we had growing up, never an issue, but as mentioned, we did open windows to air the house a lot of the time, not so frequently in winter but occasionally, wooden framed leaky without seals but never a problem with mould.
Z3, are you a BER assessor? Im guessing not.
A scientist, what kind, so I assume you know everything? just not about what causes mould or how not to piss someone off by telling them they cant come in to fix a problem noticed, good luck with your deposit if they have pre/post inspection pictures from every tenant before you.CatFromHue wrote: »I don't understand why the wet clothes on the clothes horse is such a problem.
If I leave a bucket of water on the ground will that lead to dampness? I wouldn't have thought so and in the places I've stayed any damp/mould on the ceiling is in the bathroom from the steam off the shower which is quite different then wet clothes.
Because introducing moisture into the space is going to mean water vapour will exist in the space and if its not kept warm as seems due to COSTS? then it will condense into a liquid on cold surfaces, if there is warmth enough from infrequent heating and occupation and moisture from clothes, then spores in the air will form mould.
1. heat the place, 2. ventilate the place weekly.Tomorrow's judgement day for us.
Bottom line is, we've kept the apartment in immaculate condition and have paid our rent of EUR 1400 on time for the past 12 months. There is mold growing in some areas, and we have a conflict of opinion on its source. I have not been supplied with a Building Energy Rating which, according to this (http://www.daft.ie/building-energy-rating-ber), is a legal requirement.
The way our LL has carried himself is like we've been graffiting on the walls, and we've had enough
And to the fella who said I should just let him come in and paint while we are STILL LIVING THERE AND HAVE PAID 1400 TO DO SO, this isn't student accommodation. The water boiler broke previously and flooded the hallway - that's different, I readily informed him and he fixed it as he should. But painting over mold so he can cover up a mess to try and get a tenant in as early as possible all so he PROFITS - no thank you.
I will get every cent of my deposit back or there will be war :pac:
tbh you havent kept it immaculate, you just think you have.
I think graffitti would be easier to dela with than mould really and much more preferable.
Why dont you clean the mould, you admitted you dry clothes in the apartment.0 -
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Well of course I'm looking for cover. He's got his 12 months rent in the bank, he owes us a deposit. The way I see it, he has us by the balls and thinks he can walk all over us by blaming this dampness on us. The BER rating seems to me like an interesting solution if it comes to that (hopefully not). I never brought it up before, but neither has he. He claims the apartment is well insulated and it's our laundrette behavior + normal breathing + our lack of opening windows + our lack of turning on heat (which we can back up from energy bills) which has caused the mold. I am saying it's the apartment, it's ****e for ventilation and maintaining heat basically and there's been a water tank breach on the roof, and a water boiler flood inside in the space of a few months.
The BER calculation includes energy use for building fabric, space heating, water heating, ventilation and lighting and is calculated on the basis of standard occupancy. If I were to get an engineer in and do it for me, I'd guarantee you from actually living here that the result for ventilation is poor.
We'll be reasonable and try to come to an agreement, that's why we accepted his 'self-invitation'.
I don't get what your problem is. Landlords are not entitled to walk all over tenants. I'm paying to live in the apartment, and I didn't sign up to have the apartment painted inside while we're still living there. I mention the 1400 because it's what we pay and I mentioned this to him to which he replied on the phone I don't care if it's 160,000 I've received in the last 12 months. Then why does he not just leave us the **** alone, give us back our full deposit, and do whatever he wants with the apartment after we move out.
Are the windows nailed shut?
Great for you that you are willing to blame ventilation and can afford to pay an engineer tell you this, but can you honestly say you opened the windows on a weekly basis?
You agreed to the rent and he is right in that it doesnt matter what you paid, thats the rent, and it doesnt matter to him what rent you have paid as thats agreed especially if you have cause damage and are declining access to fix what appears to me to be your fault.
A deposit isnt a savings scheme, its for if you cause problems. It is to fix the cost and may mitigate against the loss due to any damage.
If I were you, ID be looking for the agreeable route but you seem foolishly to be digging your heels in.
1, Id allow the landlord access and agree to what needs to be done so he can rent the place, ie fix the problem and get him onside.
2, Do some or all of this cleaning yourself
3, Allow him to paint over your mould cleaning work isnt painting over the problem.
In really wonder what kind of scientist you are?? that assumes you know everything. You brought it up, what kind? maybe we can try determine if your training is relevant, your experience doesnt seem so.0 -
That's disingenuous on your part. You know full well that a BER rating had nothing to do with either you taking on this apartment or the present disagreement you have with the landlord.Well of course I'm looking for cover.The BER rating seems to me like an interesting solution if it comes to that (hopefully not). I never brought it up before, but neither has he.
If it was a genuine issue, you would have brought it up. You didn't - meaning that you - as an individual - are anything but genuine.
Fine. Then go to the prtb if you genuinely believe that.The way I see it, he has us by the balls and thinks he can walk all over us by blaming this dampness on us.
You seem to feel you don't have to account for your 'normal breathing' - well you do - alongside your drying clothes internally, the water vapour arising from showering, etc. - well, you do! We all do. That was and is (and will be - regardless of where you reside next) your responsibility. The apartment is '****e for ventilation'?..and you expect with that that the energy rating will be rubbish, classification Z as you interpret it? As a BER assessor in a previous life, I can tell you that without mechanical ventilation system in place, the more energy efficient a house is, the more of an issue ventilation is going to be - unless YoU - as occupant - don't take care of your own responsibility in this regard - and ventilate manually.He claims the apartment is well insulated and it's our laundrette behavior + normal breathing + our lack of opening windows + our lack of turning on heat (which we can back up from energy bills) which has caused the mold. I am saying it's the apartment, it's ****e for ventilation and maintaining heat basically and there's been a water tank breach on the roof, and a water boiler flood inside in the space of a few months.
Self invitation is your own spin on it if you are not agreeable to that. If you are not agreeable to that, then be a man and come out and say so. If you agreed to same, then you're spin on this is irrelevant. You are an adult, right? Sounds like he's trying to solve a problem...meanwhile, you are doing what exactly?...We'll be reasonable and try to come to an agreement, that's why we accepted his 'self-invitation'.
I agree. Landlords are not entitled to walk all over tenants. My issue is that I don't believe you are behaving reasonably.I don't get what your problem is. Landlords are not entitled to walk all over tenants.
Why do you mention the 1400? It is not relevant here. Someone has taken issue with you paying this in the first instance - but that's for another thread. The fact remains it's not relevant here....unless you think it's relevant on the basis that paying over the odds somehow absolves you from any issue in relation to the property and your obligations and responsibilities in relation to the property?I mention the 1400 because it's what we pay and I mentioned this to him to which he replied on the phone I don't care if it's 160,000 I've received in the last 12 months.
The fact that he has commented on that basis means that you have created a far bigger problem for him than the additional few quid covers - that's the point.
Presumably the point is that it is your responsibility and obligation to return the property in the condition you found it in.Einstein wrote:Then why does he not just leave us the **** alone, give us back our full deposit, and do whatever he wants with the apartment after we move out.
Have you done (or are you doing) that?0 -
I'm enough of a scientist to know that spores are almost impossible to remove and given appropriate growth conditions mould will form i.e. A DAMP APARTMENT (reason why we are moving out). As I said in that comment, unless the problem is fixed permanently, it will be a recurrent problem. Cleaning it, drying it, painting over it will NOT FIX this. I received the apartment after it was cleaned, and as I said here and I'll say it again mold started growing only after a few weeks upon arrival. We only started using the dryer after 2 months (after our first energy bill came which was super high, and so we cut on the drier use).
I don't give a **** if you believe me, but this LL is blaming this on us can't you get that??? It's NOT OUR FAULT. From our own combined experience AND from many of the posters I am reassured that he is just trying to chance his arm because a clothes horse is a bollocks excuse.0 -
I've had enough there is too much aggro and SHOUTING going on here Einstein?.
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