Damp in my flat, I need you're help please

So... im stuck in a damp flat, with mold all over, with a 11month old baby girl and we're all sleeping in the living room, where the mold isnt that bad, and I cant afford to move, thats out of the question. I need to know if the estate agent is responsible for putting a damp sealer in, are they responsible to take action? its not just my flat with this, all the flats have this problem.

The estate agents are saying they are not willing to do anything other than fit air bricks, which does fk all, the builder who fitted them told me they aint going to do anything, and the little effect they have wont be seen for over 2years.

The estate agent lied to me when i moved in, i told them i was moving away from a damp house (no where near as bad as this) and he assured me that there was no damp in this new property, he knew i had a 6month old baby at that time.

The mold has ruined irreplaceable things, my first photo when i was 2days old, my daughters pictures, family members ill never see again, clothes/shoes which are now green and furry, wardrobes/cupboards had to be thrown away they were that bad. I'v taken photos of everything the mold has ruined.

The estate agent are just blanking me now, what shal i do? not pay my rent? and continue to live in my living room with my daughter and fiance? or just keep treating the mold, which clearly isnt normal mold because it just randomly appears in the middle of the carpets in every room with massive green fur. .

Im lost and its causing so much stress i cant cope anymore, i dont know what to do, who's responsible for this


I dont know if this is in right place, or even if it will stay on these boards. But thank you for reading and i hope you know something i can do thanks allot x

reply to post by n00bUK

are they responsible to take action?

The owner of the flats is liable if you die or are injured because of their lack of maintenance on buildings which they are renting out to other people. If there is mold growing in the flat on a massive scale which can't easily be removed they are damn well responsible for cleaning it and making it a safe living environment.

reply to post by n00bUK


If it's as bad as it sounds then it's probably inside the walls too. There is nothing you can really do to get rid of it. Even if you did an external treatment with a chemical that kills mold it would come right back shortly after. The only real fix would be to renovate the whole building and also take care of the root cause of the moisture.

I hope for your sake and your family's you're able to move as soon as possible. Mold can be very dangerous. I have allergies and am very sensitive to a lot of fungi.

I hope the UK has laws that regulate this type of thing.

Good luck, peace.

reply to post by n00bUK


Your situation sounds terrible. I hope you get the opportunity to move.

However, since you say that is out of the equation, I would suggest trying Vinegar (cheep white stuff best) mixed with various essential oils. Or have you already tried that?

Just one quick link that incorperates 3 good items to try. Good luck.

www.care2.com...

reply to post by n00bUK


the agent should be responsible, but that falls under your local jurisdiction and local laws.

Mold?

Get your baby out of there ASAP. If it's black mold, get out, and get the child checked for respiratory issues immediately.

There was an issue similar to this in a town not far from me where various apartments(flats) had leaks and massive mold problems. the landlord refused to fix it, and in the end, only after going to the media, local government stepped in and they had to tear the places down because of the black mold.

One of the slums I lived in (for lack of a better term) during college had a massive black mold infestation inside the floors and walls. you could disinfect the entire place, take 1 shower, and the entire ceiling is black.

I suffered countless medical issues, throat infections, sinus infections, headaches etc etc while living there.

reply to post by n00bUK


get outta there!! black mold can make you VERY VERY sick. i'd call the housing authority or the safety inspectors. they can make sure your landlord is held liable. i'd first start by informing the landlord that you will be calling them.

If all the apartments (flats) have this same problem, then the owners are most definitely responsible for correcting it.

I don't know how the legal system works where you live, but maybe you can get some of the other tenants together and complain to the local housing authority or the county/district/ whatever you call them attorney.

I didn't know houses could get THAT moldy. I've heard of it on the walls in a basement or such but not mold eating peoples pictures.

Had the same problem, I great quick fix is a quick scrub with bleach then mix PVA glue (the kids cheap stuff) with water and then 'paint' it over the areas.

I did this and it held of for quite a bit. I know its not always possible to move straight away and this should solve it for under a fiver.

Good luck

(Just to add, bit obvious but dont do this on the carpets - if you can borrow a dehumidifier that will help a little too).

reply to post by n00bUK

It sounds quite awful. I don't know the laws but there are a few things you could try, some will cost money though.

A dehumidifier. This is an electrical appliance that removes moisture from the water. I have no idea of running costs.
A chemical dehumidifier. Basically a box full of moisture attracting chemicals. Cheaper than electric appliance?
The Citizens Advice Bureau. You can go to them for free for legal advice about your situation. You say all the flats/houses have that problem? Gain info, speak to neighbours, start proceedings. With the help of the CAB and their legal people you might have grounds for not paying rent until adequate maintenance has been carried out.

Good luck and I hope things change soon. Mold and people tend not to mix very well sometimes.

have a look here www.direct.gov.uk...

Originally posted by trustnothing
have a look here www.direct.gov.uk...

Basically get in touch with Enviromental Health

This is why i love this site, thanks allot guys for the speedy replies.

We have black mold growing in the babys room, a slight bit - its in the bottom corner near the door. Theres also mold on the floor in there, on the carpet which is spread around in different places. I'v cleaned with plenty of times but it just comes back, its not massive, but its very noticeable. When cleaing it i use Mold & Damp spray from B&Q, nothing special. .Im going to use the tips you lot have given me about treating it, thanks allot.

Iv bought a dehumidifier, i have on in every room. There only cheap ones through, with replaceable filters, this method does not seem to work one bit for me.

My partner is coughing all the time, feeling weezy and just in general, not feeling good. I have a very strong immune system and can hardly see feel anything, as of now.

The flats are owned by Angel Estates. I was speaking to the builder who does jobs for them and he said that they bought these flats on the cheap off a company years back, so maybe they knew they had problems, took them for cheap and are waiting for the inspection people to come along and tell them they have to be knocked down, i really can imagine this.

Thanks again guys, im going to have a read though the Direct Gov. site now and see what i can do. Thanks again x

Just to confirm are you in the uk?

It would all depend on whether you are renting privately or is it DSS housing? and if it is DSS whether its Council? housing association? or private landlord?

In each scenario you would have different rights and a different way of approaching it.

Sounds awful to have to live like that.. One of the worst case of damp ive ever heard of.. Did they actually fit air bricks?

I've had this problem before. This stuff helps... www.damprid.com...

But in all seriousness, I would have a test done, and if the property owners wont do anything about it, use the results from the test in court. I don't know which court or entity to direct you to.

Maybe take the test results to a lawyer and seek further counsel?

reply to post by n00bUK


Look into the laws in your area.
In my area if you want something done and nothing gets done....you can withhold your rent money until it is done.
But...you have to save the money so that when it does get done and they want their rent in full...you will have it so don't spend it....just hang onto it.

Don't take my advice without knowing your rights in your area first.

Do some searches and find out what your rights are.

reply to post by n00bUK


The property owner, and by proxy, the management company are responsible for providing a housing unit free of hazards to health, as well as property. Do exactly as trust nothing says, and you should see environmental agents there tomorrow or Monday assessing your concerns. The property owner will be held accountable, but the sad thing is that they often ask that a few days time are given in which the property owner has an opportunity to make the repairs necessary to meet their requirements, while you stay living in the mess. They will often have the property owner pay for hotels for tenants in the interim, however this is not always the case as some hazards are only deemed hazardous in the long term. Your personal property damage is a small claims court matter, and I would suggest speaking with others in the building about any damages to their property as a class action suit or multiple filing may be the key to being compensated if the property owner is a schmuck.

reply to post by trustnothing


I think this is the path i need to go down. I need to phone the estate agents and make them aware of me phoning the environmental health, maybe then they will get their asses into gear.

But like people have said above, more than likely its not going to be sorted, their going to have to completely renovate all of the flats or at the worse, knock them down.

Thanks x

reply to post by Misterlondon


I live in Leeds, England mate.

Im renting Private, through an estate agent called Angel estates.


I phoned up the estate agents, said i have really bad damp and extreme mold, they said we'll ring you back. . after 3/4 days of them not phoning me, i seen the builder fitting air bricks to another flat over the road, i shouted him and asked if the women at the estate agents told him to do some on my flat, he said that the women never even made him aware of my situation. He told me all the flatts on the street have it, and people are moving out. He even told me to not pay rent, save up and move out - which maybe the only thing to do, but then that messes up my chances of a reference for another house in the future. .


Edit to add: Agenl esates own all these houses, they are the landlords, bought and paid for

reply to post by n00bUK


Then blatently refuse to pay, they will have to go to court to get you out - no matter what the heavies say if they come around. If anyone does call the police.

By this time you should have enough to get a deposit together on another place. Fcuk em, I hate dodgy landlords.

You could try social services as there is a real risk to your child, they maight be able to put you somewhere else or even a B&B until they can.

Also local press may be an option, bad publicity leads to lost revenue and if that is the only thing that makes them tick it might move thier asses quicker. Be loud and be aggressive.

Good luck to you and your family