Property Ombudsman issues new guidance on how to deal with damp and mould
With 41% of lettings properties having some sort of damp or mould problem and Awaab’s Law about to be extended to the PRS, the Property Ombudsman is offering guidance to help agents, landlords and tenants deal with the issue.
A survey of 719 letting agents uncovered how widespread the issue is and how much misunderstanding there is around it.
Although the survey found the majority of agents recognised the seriousness of damp and mould, many believed they were mostly linked to tenant activities, such as not using extractor fans during cooking and bathing or drying laundry rather than a building’s construction.
Knowledge levels were a bigger problem for landlords though with 23% of agents claiming landlords did not take damp and mould seriously enough.
To help clarify the issue, The Property Ombudsman has produced a new set of guidelines for tenants, agents and landlords, designed to help them spot the signs of condensation, damp and mould as well as giving preventative tips and advice on reporting issues.
Our research shows what a complex issue this is.”
Heating and ventilation are some of the key focuses and the guide recommends opening windows and using extractor fans to help prevent damp and mould as well as wiping away condensation and using anti-fungal products on mould.
Rebecca Marsh – TPORebecca Marsh, The Property Ombudsman, said: “Our research shows what a complex issue this is.
Condensation, damp and mould are interlinked and caused by a variety of factors: environmental, structural and behavioural but one thing is clear, we need to work with renters, landlords and agents to prevent it occurring.”
The Property Ombudsman scheme is the largest Government approved redress scheme for the private property sector with 37,397 members operating from 19,359 offices and branches across the UK.