Expose to mould in the home can be damaging to your health.

What is mould?

Mould is a microscopic fungus that grows in damp places, normally caused by excess moisture in a building. Mould spores can be found everywhere and are released in their thousands and float in the air unseen.

 

Signs of mould at home include fuzzy black, white or green patches on the walls, and a damp and musty smell.

 

How can Mould affect your health?

Exposure to mould spores is not healthy for anyone and should be avoided as much as possible. People living with mould are more likely to suffer from respiratory illnesses, infections, allergies, or asthma.

 

Inhaling or touching mould spores can cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash.

 

Moulds can also trigger asthma attacks and cause coughing, wheezing and breathlessness. In some cases, mould can be breathed in and can be found growing in the lungs - it can be life-threatening.

 

Recently, an inquest held that the death of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak was a result of damp and mould in his home. The Rochdale Borough Housing (RBH) who managed the property were made aware of the mould issues on a number of occasions but failed to take any action to solve the problem.

 

What causes mould?

The leading cause of mould in the UK is condensation. Most commonly, it will occur in parts of the home with high moisture levels, around windows, bathrooms and kitchens.

If water droplets form on the wall, if left untreated the surface will become damp and create the conditions for mould to grow.

Poorly insulated properties are more prone to this.

This also can be caused by daily tasks, showing, cooking and drying washing indoors.

 

How to prevent Mould

In severe cases, there is very little that tenants are able to do to solve the problem themselves and it is important that this is reported to landlords as soon as possible. However, in more minor cases there are some things that can help, for example improving the ventilation in the property by opening windows more, not drying clothes inside, taking shorter showers.

It is also important to check for any obvious problems such as leaking pipes or gutters which could be causing of contributing to the problem.

 

What rights do tenants have?

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act imposes an obligation upon all landlords, both private and social to ensure that rental homes are fit for habitation throughout the tenancy.

If a mould problem is caused by poor maintenance or disrepair, it is the landlord’s responsibility to fix this issue.

If the mould issue is so bad that the home is unfit for habitation, then tenants could be entitled to emergency accommodation provided for by their landlord.  

 

How can UK Tenant Solutions help?

If you’ve reported problems with damp and mould growth but your landlord has done nothing to address the problem, then you may be able to bring a claim.

Our expert team will handle the matter for you and support you every step of the way, from the initial consultation right through to getting you professional inspections and your landlord to carry out the repairs to the highest possible standard and get you the compensation you deserve.

We can assist on a NO WIN NO FEE basis, which means that there is no risk to you.

To start your claim contact UK Tenant Solutions today at -