WINCHESTER'S Citizens Advice branch has responded to concerns about the health implications of mould in rented properties.

Advice services manager Lesley Rose has issued advice on what to do if residents find mould or damp in their rented homes and how best to battle irresponsive landlords.

The manager has warned that the cause of mould or dampness isn’t always clear and therefore it can be difficult to determine if its the landlord's responsibility.

Hampshire Chronicle:

The Winchester advisor said: “There are many causes of damp that properties can get. The most common are rising, penetrating, construction and condensation damp. People should check their tenancy agreement for mentions of repairs and damp, and reach out to Citizens Advice on anything they’re unsure about. 

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“A landlord will have to act in relation to damp if it makes the property unsafe for someone to live in. This could be for example, if it is making the tenant or a member of their family ill.

“The landlord will also be responsible if the damp is related to repairs they should have carried out, like if heaters are broken. If the damp has damaged items that the landlord is responsible for, such as carpets and window frames, they’ll likely have to cover the cost of repairs.  

“One of the most common causes of damp is condensation. To prevent this, it’s important to keep homes well-heated and well-ventilated, but for a lot of people this will be trickier to do given the colder weather and higher heating costs.

“Drying clothes on heaters or blocking air vents could make damp worse and may impact the landlord taking responsibility for repairs.

"If a landlord is responsible for the damp in a property but doesn’t act, there are steps that can be taken, such as reporting them to the local authority. For those in social housing, it might also be possible to use the landlord’s formal complaints procedure.

"If it reaches the point where individuals want to get out of a fixed term tenancy agreement early, do speak to an adviser first, as there might be better ways to approach the issue.”

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Lesley Rose urged people to visit the Citizens Advice website for further information on the causes of damp, reporting landlords and eligibility for help with heating and insulating homes.

Citizens Advice Winchester District is an independent charity forming part of the national network in England and Wales.

In 2021/22 the local branch helped almost 5,000 people with more than 15,000 advice issues and generated more than £1.1m in income gain for them. 

For more go to citizensadvicewinchester.org.uk/.