Damp and dehumidifiers

Her Landlord is "stalling"; I have suggested that she contacts the Environmental Health Dep't of the local Council to get an "Improvement Order" imposed on the Landlord. Neither of us have any experience of doing this but suspect that dues to Government cuts and their sympathy towards Landlords, the Council will not help much if at all and that the Landlord will then give her "Notice to quit" and as you suggest, find the next victim.

Tread carefully... This course of action would almost certainly result in a S21/NTQ at LL earliest opportunity as you suggest, as it is very confrontational!

I am a landlord myself, as a family we own a few and over the course of letting them to various people its interesting to see the differences different tenants make. Families with the same number of people, first lot were in for ~2 years with zero issues, place was handed back with some wear and tear but nothing to heavy. Next lot in, same size family and they complain of damp within 3 months. Place was streaming, black mould forming everywhere etc.. They were drying clothes on radiators and not ventilating the place, and they had about twice as much stuff in the house (so everywhere was a bit jam packed, little room for air movement). Damp is 'usually' down to tenant lifestyle, and most people dont realise they are the cause of the problem.

Why not reach out to the landlord and ask them to visit if possible, run through the problem and see if they can advise on what T is doing wrong, and offer to assist with sorting a solution. As a LL we would rather have a good tenant in for a long time than ongoing chopping and changing.

Drimaster PIV works really really well, at refurb we are fitting them to each of our lets. the slight positive pressure forces air movement out of little gaps in the windows etc and really helps to dry things out. You have to see it to believe it! Doesnt cost much more than a dehumidifier and is cheaper to run.

Have a chat with the LL, you might find a good solution together.
 
Tread carefully... This course of action would almost certainly result in a S21/NTQ at the Landlord's earliest opportunity as you suggest, as it is very confrontational!
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Yes, I entirely understand the "issues".

However, the damp is a genuine problem, she noticed it as she moved in and immediately reported it to the Agent and the Landlord who didn't actually do much about it at the time - just stalled.

It is my understanding that "A Landlord cannot use a Section 21 notice if the council has served an improvement notice on the property in the last 6 months or has served a notice in the last 6 months that says it will do emergency works on the property." (LINK).

This (drastic and confrontational) course of action should give her some breathing space to find alternative accommodation, will also help any future tenant and in truth will also encourage the Landlord to behave sensibly. Sorry if that upsets you as a Landlord but "so it goes".

. . . Damp is 'usually' down to tenant lifestyle . . .
That is certainly a point of view but as has been pointed out earlier, basement flats are frequently plagued with damp; the problem can also be unsuitable buildings that really shouldn't require a Tenant, at their expense, to heat the (ventilated) house (and the local area) like a furnace.
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Why not reach out to the landlord and ask them to visit if possible, run through the problem and see if they can advise on what the Tenant is doing wrong, and offer to assist with sorting a solution. As a Landlord we would rather have a good tenant in for a long time than ongoing chopping and changing.
. . .
Have a chat with the Landlord, you might find a good solution together.
Tried that, the Landlord, as I suggested, is prevaricating - possibly until six months have passed - perhaps they feel that in a market where ANY housing is in demand, they are prepared to have "churning"?
 
As I said, 'usually'.. And I dont disagree, converted basements are notorious headaches. But some things you said ring of it partially being lifestyle (not opening windows to vent, drying clothes inside)

Shame that the landlord is not engaging on this, some are just disinterested sadly. Gives the good ones a bad name!

If she wants to stay there then I would advise against the 'improvement Order' path, its too high risk for losing the place even if it would force the landlord into action.
So your left with solutions you can implement yourselves without landlord involvement, and she can possibly take with her to her next place. So ignoring solutions that require a change to the building (as LL unlikely to approve) such as PIV etc.

Digital Thermometer/Hygrometers are cheap, suggest getting a couple and doing some measurements of the air in various rooms.
Moisture meters for measuring walls (two prong type) are also cheap, again an easy test.. Measure if the walls are wet or not.
With these tools you can figure out if there is a problem room/problem wall or if its everywhere. Concentrate efforts at the dampest area to begin with, make the biggest difference.

Dehumidifier is an obvious place to start, with drying clothes in the flat there will be quite a bit of moisture being added, so help remove it. When using a dehumidifier a decent, separate fan is a good idea to stir the air in the flat. you want the air moving around otherwise it just dries its local area really well and slowly extends out, air movement really helps mix the dry and wet air around.
You could order today and have tomorrow/collect today.. starts making a difference asap.

Are there any extractors in the flat? Do they work? Do they move much air, or only a little bit? Suggest leaving these on when she is out at work, helps remove moisture/change the air. If broken/rubbish its worth doing some investigation yourself, they can sometimes get flaps stuck shut.. if its broken get a sparky in and replace it, wont cost a lot.
Do the windows have the lockable vent position? Or a vent you can open on the window without opening it? Again, opening these will help lots.

Good luck, and please update us.
 
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Damp is causing the problem. The bedroom window is ALWAYS covered in condensation, there is no extractor fan in the kitchen and the bathroom extractor fan switches off as soon as the light is switched off! She uses a washing machine and hangs clothes on a drier in the flat.

I am not entirely convinced about the heating / ventilation issue; the damp is in the air, you can heat it up and it will still condense on a cold surface, you can swap the warm hot air with cold wet air from outside but you still have a "damp" problem. I do however accept that "ventilation" may reduce the development of mould.

Ask her if she ever opens the windows?

We've had people ring us up to complain about damp in new build property because the windows are "leaking" we investigate.... oh, they don't open their windows, what a surprise. I'm not saying this is the case with your niece, its just very common.
 
I am inclined to agree with this but I do recall talking to the owner of a basement flat some years ago who said that he had sorted out a damp and mould problem by mounting a small extractor fan "backwards" in an outside wall. I didn't pay much attention at the time since I thought the whole idea was counter-intuitive - and probably "silly" - I may have been wrong?

Oh no, I agree that it can help lower humidity, but they are known for making the place colder because you are sucking cold air in during the winter, so harder to heat.
 
Quoting these again. Lifestyle.

She lives in a basement flat and goes out to work every weekday for a long working day - leaving windows open is not entirely practical.
Windows need to be left on vent when she is out, it makes a HUGE difference and houses need to breath!

and hangs clothes on a drier in the flat.
Doing this dumps a huge amount of moisture into the property. Unavoidable for many, but almost certainly part of the problem.

Get a good dehumidifier, it will help.
 
As I said, 'usually' . .
A couple of people have mentioned "drying clothes indoors" - other then relocating to a warmer, dryer climate I don't really know what the option is in the case of a basement flat with a tiny, exposed "yard" as opposed to a garden with a shelter and a rotating dryer?

I am not quite sure how a Thermometer / Hygrometer would help, the flat as a whole is demonstrably damp and suffers from mould - the living room probably suffers least but then it would, wouldn't it?

There is no extractor fan in the kitchen - CRAZY! The extractor fan in teh bathroom only stays on while the light is on - also somewhat crazy and as it happens, the wiring is probably illegal to boot.

I am not sure about the windows, I will ask her to have a look. Since she is out of the flat for much of the time and it is fairly "accessible" she may be reluctant to leave windows open, even if supposedly secure.

Please don't get me wrong, I am VERY grateful to you and other for any input / advice and I will certainly post as things progress.

I have said that I will organise a dehumidifier for her and will do so, it is just a question of which one . . . ? The choice seems to be around one of two Meaco units, either the £200 Meaco DD8L (desiccant dehumidifier) or the £160 MeacoDry "ABC" 12L (compressor dehumidifier) - they seem to get good Which? reports and customer recommendations. The dessicant unit is supposedly more appropriate / effective / suitable if the flat is below 15°C


Ask her if she ever opens the windows?
. . .
I will look into whether there are opening / lockable windows and whether she does / can leave them open while she is out. For what it is worth, my niece is certainly aware of the advisability of ventilation and air circulation.
 
Live in a 2 bed flat with crappy economy 7 heating and no drying area for clothes.
Had a Meaco Dd8L for about 3 years. Did exactly what I wanted it to do. Failed so replaced with Ecoair DD122 simple last year. Clothes are dried in bathroom with dehumidifier for a couple of hours. Otherwise left on overnight to do it's thing out in hall way with all doors left ajar except living room (to keep heat in room). Costs very little to run. Both quiet enough to run overnight.
 
I have said that I will organise a dehumidifier for her and will do so, it is just a question of which one . . . ? The choice seems to be around one of two Meaco units, either the £200 Meaco DD8L (desiccant dehumidifier) or the £160 MeacoDry "ABC" 12L (compressor dehumidifier) - they seem to get good Which? reports and customer recommendations. The dessicant unit is supposedly more appropriate / effective / suitable if the flat is below 15°C

The DD8L is one I've seen popup a few times when I was looking into dehumidifers for home.

In fact, the legend that is Big Clive posted a video of one a few years back if you want a real tear down of one of the units.
 
A couple of people have mentioned "drying clothes indoors" - other then relocating to a warmer, dryer climate I don't really know what the option is in the case of a basement flat with a tiny, exposed "yard" as opposed to a garden with a shelter and a rotating dryer?

I have said that I will organise a dehumidifier for her and will do so, it is just a question of which one . . . ? The choice seems to be around one of two Meaco units, either the £200 Meaco DD8L (desiccant dehumidifier) or the £160 MeacoDry "ABC" 12L (compressor dehumidifier) - they seem to get good Which? reports and customer recommendations. The dessicant unit is supposedly more appropriate / effective / suitable if the flat is below 15°C


Not much option.. when she gets the dryer a clothes horse stood in open space in a room with the dryer working nearby works wonders, even better if its in a room you can shut the door on.

Meaco DD8L desiccant dehumidifier is supposedly very good. dessicant dehumidifiers are supposedly one of the latest techs.

If its really that bad, hire a big dehumidifier or two for a week and run them flat out, really pull the moisture out and give yourself a 'dry' starting point. :)
 
I take your point here. However, your response is what I would describe as somewhat "Irish".

As a Junior Rep for a Pharma Company she is where she wants / needs to be. She has a private parking slot and convenient access to public transport. Finding ANY flat has not been an easy experience. She was asked to leave her previous (ground floor) flat because the Landlord was selling up - "Tenants can't be choosers"

Her Landlord is "stalling"; I have suggested that she contacts the Environmental Health Dep't of the local Council to get an "Improvement Order" imposed on the Landlord. Neither of us have any experience of doing this but suspect that dues to Government cuts and their sympathy towards Landlords, the Council will not help much if at all and that the Landlord will then give her "Notice to quit" and as you suggest, find the next victim.

I am inclined to agree with this but I do recall talking to the owner of a basement flat some years ago who said that he had sorted out a damp and mould problem by mounting a small extractor fan "backwards" in an outside wall. I didn't pay much attention at the time since I thought the whole idea was counter-intuitive - and probably "silly" - I may have been wrong?

I’m not entirely sure what you mean by ‘Irish’ but my profession is to inspect properties and so I speak from a position of knowledge and experience.

I don’t know your relatives full circumstances of course but I would suggest trying to fix a problem with halve measures will be both costly and pointless.

I wish her the very best.
 
I’m not entirely sure what you mean by ‘Irish’ . . .
It is a reference to a traveller asking someone for directions - the response was "Well I wouldn't start from here."

My niece is in the (unenviable) position she is, as I have described in some detail. I am looking for suggestions as to how best she can eliminate or significantly reduce the damp and the mould - she is reluctant to move again.
 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DFPFZDF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

we have one of these in our 2 bed flat and it works a treat, no longer have damp feeling clothes, mould behind furniture and condensation on the windows. Obviously had to clean up and sort bad areas first but with this running overnight it's kept it all away. it also has a basic humidstat so you can set it and it will turn on/off as needed to maintain the humidity at the setting you want. Seems to be effective and fairly cheap to run
 
I was skeptical too, but throwing money at running a dehumidifer wasn't sustainable. Plus the noise of the thing rattling away was driving Mrs mad.

For £300 the PIV was an experiment - if it didn't work, I was just going to sell it and plug the hole in the ceiling, simple. I didn't need to pay for install (here in N. Ireland we don't have Part P so DIY home wiring is fine, and I've done plenty), and the hole in the ceiling was simple to make.

Well, as I said, it worked beyond all expectations. I wouldn't recommend it if it was crap.

We had something similar in our old house, but the hot damp air was drawn into the loft, and it condensed on the roof lining, and fell on everything up there, saturating and ruining loads of stuff.
 
I have said that I will organise a dehumidifier for her and will do so, it is just a question of which one . . . ? The choice seems to be around one of two Meaco units, either the £200 Meaco DD8L (desiccant dehumidifier) or the £160 MeacoDry "ABC" 12L (compressor dehumidifier) - they seem to get good Which? reports and customer recommendations. The dessicant unit is supposedly more appropriate / effective / suitable if the flat is below 15°C

If she's got no need for an anti-bacterial filter and ioniser then get the junior version of the Meaco DD8L as you'll be saving yourself £25-30.
 
We brought a Meaco Platinum 12l dehumidifier for our small 3 bed house that had evidence of mould issues due to lack of circulation. https://www.meaco.com/dehumidifier/home-dehumidifiers/meaco-12l-low-energy-dehumidifier

Works a treat. We use it when we’re drying clothes indoors, cooking or anytime humidity is very high. It’s one of the most energy efficient dehumidifiers on the market, it’s very easy to use just set the target humidity and it will operate until humidity has dropped below the target, then switch itself off for 30mins before sampling humidity levels again.

When we first used it, it collected a fair bit of water but now we don’t use it quite as much only when we need it.

Highly recommended. We brought it direct from Meaco and it came with a hepa filter and an extended warranty.

There are two models in the range, a 20 litre dehumidifier and this 12 litre model, both offer lower running costs than their peers. The Meaco 12L Low Energy Dehumidifier offers the following benefits;

  • The cheaper way to combat mould, condensation and damp in flats through to 3 bedroom houses.
  • 12 litre dehumidifier.
  • Just 136 watts rated power consumption - 2p/hour based on 15.32p/kWh.
  • 2 in 1 dehumidifier with unique air purification mode for Spring/Summer use.
  • Cleans the air with a HEPA filter to remove allergens from the air.
  • Unique Meaco control logic that saves money and improves performance*.
  • Digital display to show you the current room reading.
  • Variable humidistat from 30 to 80%rh is 5%rh steps.
  • Louvre to direct the dry air through a wide angle.
  • 1 - 24 hour off timer.
  • Child lock facility.
  • Strong carry handle.
  • Free HEPA filter for cleaner air.
  • Delivered price for mainland UK.
 
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