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News & Updates

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11-07-2008

Mould prevention

  1. News
  2. 2008
  3. July
Winter often means problems with mold in rented properties. Doing regular property inspections is the best way for landlords to help control dampness and mould in their properties, says Jeff Montgomery, Client Services Manager at the Department of Building and Housing. “Sometimes, just explaining to a tenant how and why they should ventilate their home can help avoid problems.”  
 
Knowing how to identify mould helps. Mould comes in many colours and textures. Some can be shiny, some can be powdery and ‘airborne’. Some mould can be clearly visible and some can be in less accessible spaces under sinks or in basements.
Mould typically grows on moist areas or organic food sources. The main causes of mould problems are:
  • leaking windows, roofs or pipes
  • tightly sealed buildings that trap moisture inside
  • overcrowded areas
  • poorly ventilated areas

Some causes may be due to the actions of tenants, for example by not ventilating the property, using unflued gas heaters and drying clothes inside. Some of these may be the responsibility of the landlord such as leaking pipes, blocked guttering and jammed windows. Some causes may be nobody’s fault, such as where the house is located and how much sunlight it gets. 

“Some property managers and landlords take specific products around to their tenants and show them how to use them,” says Jeff. “Usually a little rapport-building and educating about ventilation and housekeeping can prevent most of these problems getting out of hand.”

Where there is a problem with mould, mildew or dampness, the tenant should try to clean the mould and mildew away and notify the landlord of the problem. If the tenant is causing the property to be damp, they can be asked to fix the problem and may be served with a notice to remedy the breach if the problem is not resolved.

If the property is damp through no fault of the landlord or tenant, or the source of the dampness cannot be found, responsibility for resolving the problem becomes uncertain. In these circumstances, the landlord and tenant should negotiate an outcome that they are both happy with.

Jeff also advises that landlords should review their insurance policies to see what extent of cover they have, if any, for injury or damages caused by mould infestations. “Damages due to mould in a chronically damp basement would probably not be covered by most policies,” he adds.