Landlords urged to listen to complaints about damp

According to the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks, ignoring tenants complaints about damp and mould could be putting the property at unnecessary risk.

Related topics:  Landlords
Warren Lewis
16th August 2016
Landlords

The organisation is urging landlords to act on any sightings of damp or mould as quickly as possible in order to ensure tenants' safety as well as the long-term condition of their rental property.

Condensation is the main cause of damp and properties which aren't ventilated properly have a higher chance of developing damp, which could lead to more serious problems.

Recently, a landlord operating in Haydock, St Helens, was ordered to pay over £3,500 after failing to investigate and redress damp problems in his property.
Adrian Webb pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an improvement notice at a hearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.

He has subsequently apologised for the condition of the property and for acting irresponsibly, pledging to bring the property up to the required standard before re-letting. However, the AIIC says this admission of guilt is too late.

Patricia Barber, Chair of the AIIC, said: "By ignoring improvement notices and complaints from tenants about issues like damp and mould, landlords are putting renters' safety at risk as well as opening themselves up to receiving a hefty fine.

Landlords should try to deal with damage complaints as quickly as possible, in order to minimise the chances of it escalating into a serious problem,” she says.

Barber adds that those landlords who do deal with damage quickly are more likely to gain respect and trust from their tenants.

The AIIC also highlights the importance of independently compiled inventories when it comes to managing property damage and issues like mould and damp.

An inventory is there to detail the property's condition at the beginning and the end of a tenancy. It therefore makes it much easier to determine which party could liable for any damage or problems identified at the end of the tenancy."

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