Damp in apartment -landlord won't fix

T

toni_mrphy

Registered User
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Hi
I am posting on behalf of a friend. She is currently renting an apartment ( she is on rent allowance ) and two months ago damp started appearing in her child's bedroom (2 years old).

She contacted the landlord who said he would have someone to look at it "soon" . No one has come to look at it and despite many phone calls he has yet to get it fixed.

The damp is now all over the walls in her own and her child's bedroom.

Her daughter is now on steroids as she has been constantly sick for the last 8 weeks. She is looking for another place but is finding it hard to get suitable place within her budget that takes RA.

She has contacted the council but they say there is nothing they can do.

Surely the landlord is legally bound to provide a habitable place when renting out?

Any advise greatly appreciated .
 
The problem is related to poor ventilation. Is there an ensuite in the room ? Is there an extraction fan after using a bath/shower? Check out the windows there may be ventilation holes/vents with a flap that can be opened to let humidity out. People often close these to keep the heat in during the winter. I know its difficult to open windows at this time of year but its the only solution to let the moisture laden air out every day. One other solution is to buy a de humidifier but they are expensive around 200 euro. You will also have to get a spray to remove the mould from the walls which can then be painted over once they have dried out. Mould can be dangerous and cause respiratory illness. Dont wait for the landlord get a spray in any hardware store and remove it.
 
It maybe ventilation (most likely) or it may be a damp problem (less likely)

If your home does not meet the minimum standards

Local authorities (in their role as housing authorities) are responsible for enforcing these minimum standards. If you think that your home does not comply with the standards, you should complain to the local authority, whether you are a local authority tenant or housing association tenant. If you are a private tenant and you think your accommodation is sub-standard or your landlord refuses to carry out repairs that are included on the aforementioned list, you can ask the local authority to make the landlord comply with the standards. See 'Where to apply' below.

Failure to comply with the minimum standards can result in penalties and prosecution. Housing authorities can issue Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices to landlords who breach the minimum standards regulations. An Improvement Notice sets out the works that the landlord must carry out to remedy a breach of the regulations. If the landlord does not do these works, the housing authority may issue a Prohibition Notice, directing the landlord not to re-let the property until the breach of the regulations has been rectified.

Further disputes between landlords and tenants in the private sector can be mediated by the Private Residential Tenancies Board.
Click to expand...

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...intenance_and_minimum_physical_standards.html
 
Thanks for the reply . Will tell her to get the spray . I will also get her to contact the owner again as I really feel as the landlord it is his responsibility
 
I think as others have already said here, the answer to this is to ventilate the room more. Leave the window open for an hour during the day.
There isnt anything to be fixed as such.
My guess is that she is heating that room very well and there is very little ventilation
 
laois1 said:
The problem is related to poor ventilation. Is there an ensuite in the room ? Is there an extraction fan after using a bath/shower? Check out the windows there may be ventilation holes/vents with a flap that can be opened to let humidity out. People often close these to keep the heat in during the winter. I know its difficult to open windows at this time of year but its the only solution to let the moisture laden air out every day. One other solution is to buy a de humidifier but they are expensive around 200 euro. You will also have to get a spray to remove the mould from the walls which can then be painted over once they have dried out. Mould can be dangerous and cause respiratory illness. Dont wait for the landlord get a spray in any hardware store and remove it.
Click to expand...
Had a similar problem with tenants who blocked the vents in all the bedrooms with towels and were drying their clothes on the radiators in the bedrooms.

Ended up with mould mainly on the ceiling and a little bit on the wall. Keep cleaning it off and painting, increased insulation in the attic and it took a while to discover what the cause was.

Ventilation is key - check behind the vent to make sure it's not blocked and open the window every morning.
 
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