Property Condition and Decent Standards
Most landlords make sure that the houses and flats they rent out are safe and secure, warm and dry. But some landlords do not, and this means that some tenants live in dangerous or unhealthy conditions. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires landlords to ensure that their rental properties are ‘fit for human habitation’, which means that they are safe and free from hazards.
The Act works alongside the Housing Act 1985 and the Housing Act 2004 - Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) which form the basis for ensuring that rented property reaches a certain standard. The private rented sector white paper outlined the measures that will require rented properties to be free from serious health and safety hazards, and landlords to keep homes in a good state of repair so renters have clean, appropriate and useable facilities.
One of the major concerns for landlords has been the impact of condensation has on tenants. The issue has been raised on countless occasions, however, ensuring that any time a tenant reports a maintenance issue relating to condensation, this must be taken seriously and dealt with in a timely manner.
What causes Condensation?
Condensation occurs when warm air collides with cold surfaces, or when there’s too much humidity the dwelling. This is especially common in winter, when the central heating system is used more frequently.
While condensation is rarely a problem in the summer, the amount of water in the air (otherwise known as the humidity) inside our homes is higher during the colder months. This is because we tend to have the heating turned up high and the windows closed. That’s why condensation is a bigger problem during the autumn and winter months, as it’s no longer confined to the bathroom. When the outside temperature drops, water can start to appear on windows and walls.
Everyday activities like cooking, showering, and drying clothes can release warm moisture into the air inside the house. When moisture-packed warm air comes into contact with a cold surface, it cools down quickly and releases water, which turns into liquid droplets. These droplets sit on the cold surface.
If condensation isn’t dealt with immediately it can go on to cause black mould to start growing on walls, ceilings, and around windows. This type of mould is unpleasant and can lead to health issues including sinus problems, skin rashes, and even bronchitis.
How to deal with condensation?
reduce the amount of moisture produced in the first place by keeping lids on pans when cooking, drying clothes outside when possible, and if using a tumble dryer, making sure it’s vented to the outside
ventilate so the moist air leaves the house – always use the extractor fan when cooking, showering or bathing, leave any window vents open, and do not block off any other vents
make sure air can circulate by leaving gaps between furniture and walls
try to avoid cold spots – if there’s a gap between your wall insulation and your loft insulation, for example, try to get this fixed as it will attract condensation and possibly mould
consider adding more ventilation – this could be a new external vent in a problem corner, a new extractor fan, or even a whole house ventilation system if you need it
Is there a long-term solution to condensation?
The only real way to avoid condensation in the long-term is to invest wisely in both ventilation and insulation.
Ventilation is key to keeping condensation at bay. It’s impractical to keep windows open throughout the winter, so it’s worth having extractor fans installed in the bathroom and kitchen.
In addition to ventilation, the insulation can be improved. in your home to keep the temperature at which the moisture in the air turns into beads of water (the dew point). Single-glazed windows may also be part of the problem. Single-glazed windows are a lot colder inside than double-glazed ones, so are likely to attract condensation. Double-glazing is still one of the optimum options to improve insulating a property.