As a Tenant, should I have to pay?

[jackboy]

Mould behind sofa etc does sound like condensation is the cause. What floor is the flat on?

Sounds like tenants responsibility to me and £147 for new carpet sounds reasonable.

[Ericthelobster]

I think theyre trying to do me a favour in that if I paid by cash, the full deposit will be paid back to me more quickly.

If you don't dispute the amount with the DPS, it will take exactly the same amount of time to get the deposit back. If you do argue the toss, then all bets are off of course.

Last year I had a tenant who complained of mould and condensation, the first ever time in over 10 years I'd had such a complaint

Yes I have a property which occasionally 'suffers' in this way; and it's very obviously dependent on which tenants are living there at the time.

[MollyParker]

Quite often, damp/condensation/mould problems are due to 'tenant lifestyle' as opposed to structural defects.

Were you drying your clothes indoors on radiators/airing racks? If so, did you open windows, and ventilate properly?

I have to say that the LL's claim of £147 seems fairly unaggressive and although, of course, you should not pay it if you are not in any way liable for the damage, if there is any doubt about the cause of the damp/mould then it may be sensible to consider a settlement.

No I was a good tenant. I thoroughly read the manual I was given when I moved in and I always used the washing machine and tumble drier supplied in the laundry room. I never dried clothes indoors. I left windows a crack open most of the time in the bedroom and bathroom. I also always put on the fans that suck out the steam from the shower and in the kitchen when oven and shower in use and left them on for a while afterwards. I always left the bathroom window open and the door closed so that moisture from in there was as trapped as possible.

What's is getting to me is that I did everything I could think of to help the damp. I can't help that I breathe moisture as a human being. It's an old Cornish building so I understand mould happens, but I had no idea that it would grow under the mattress like it did! I would have moved the mattress and propped it up on its side had I thought something like that was going to happen.

Also, I don't control the heating, it's controlled by the landlord who put it on at set times in the morning and evening. It's a ground floor flat and a very old building.

I can't describe enough how much of a clean person I am so when I saw the mould for the FIRST time, I was on it straight away and followed all advice given to me. I cleaned mould off walls and skirtings every two weeks. The landlords saw that I had the mattress on the floor the whole time I was there and never warned me of what could happen. I never intentionally neglected the flat or the carpet, it completely never occured to me the mould would grow underneath the mattress as I was so distracted by the mould on the walls.

I'd actually be quite happy to go halves on the price as a gesture of good will because the mattress shouldn't have been on the floor. To be honest the whole thing just leaves you feeling quite ripped off, it cost so much money to live there. My partner thought the mould was disgusting and far less fair on it than I was but he comes from Denmark where buildings are better and the heating is on 24/7. My parents weren't impressed by the mould either. I don't know I can see both sides.

I mean, rent that costs £550 pcm for a one bed flat, kitchen/diner/lounge all in one room. No control of heating times and the hot water for the taps was heated using an electric water heater. The only reason they are able to charge such amount is because of the location and I wish I could have found somewhere cheaper. I've paid so much rent and worked hard to keep the flat in good condition and it's all just been so stressfull because of the mould.

[thesaint]

I think theyre trying to do me a favour in that if I paid by cash, the full deposit will be paid back to me more quickly.

It would be quicker to deduct the money from the deposit held, than for you to pay, and then receive the full deposit back.

My question is, should I have to pay?

No one here can tell you that. If you don't believe you should, then you dispute it.

[Bel]

It's a poor do if you cannot control the heating as that is a major part of condensation control.

On the other hand you had the mattress on the carpet. The mattress or carpet underneath might have got wet at some stage and the carpet festered. You would have noticed if there had been a problem with the carpet before you put down the mattress. you cannot prove the carpet is a direct result of the other damp issues. It's likely the carpet would still be intact if your mattress was not on the floor.

You should not have to pay the full price of a new carpet though.

[MollyParker]

It's a poor do if you cannot control the heating as that is a major part of condensation control.

On the other hand you had the mattress on the carpet. The mattress or carpet underneath might have got wet at some stage and the carpet festered. You would have noticed if there had been a problem with the carpet before you put down the mattress. you cannot prove the carpet is a direct result of the other damp issues. It's likely the carpet would still be intact if your mattress was not on the floor.

You should not have to pay the full price of a new carpet though.

Perhaps the carpet was already a little moist before me putting it down. I did moved the mattress more than once being there. The mould grew in 3 months as I didn't move it after then.

The point is the landlords saw I had it on the floor each month and didn't inform me of the risk. If they had I would have propped the mattress up and aired it out and certainly tried to get myself a bed frame.

[Bel]

The point is the landlords saw I had it on the floor each month and didn't inform me of the risk. If they had I would have propped the mattress up and aired it out and certainly tried to get myself a bed frame.

Landlords cannot second guess everything that might happen or what the risks might have been.

It's probably the first time for both of you. You have been unlucky. Nobody likes to have to pay out.

No harm in negotiating down the amount if you get your facts right.

He will probably tell the next person if the mattress is on the floor again though !