Condensation is too often confused with rising damp by tenants according to the Residential Lettings Property Management team at CPBigwood.
CPBigwood residential lettings senior property manager Calum Willard said that many disputes between landlord and tenant could be resolved if both sides understood the nature of the problem.
“The issue is that the modern house or apartment is now a very moisture-rich environment.”“We run washing machines, tumble driers and take several showers a day in a busy family environment and this produces much more moisture than previous generations were used to experiencing.”
“Many buildings are effectively sealed units with double glazing and snug fitting doors combining with wall-to-wall carpet to ensure that there is very little way for moisture in the air to escape,” he said.
“This then appears as condensation on the walls of residential properties and is often confused with damp originating from the brickwork.”
He said the answer was a combination of ventilation and heating.
“Ventilation on its own is not sufficient and extractor fans are rarely efficient enough to rid a bathroom or kitchen of the kind of moisture content that can build up at busy times of the day.”
“But many people do not understand this and allow condensation to build up and regularly run down their walls.”
“This can lead to the development of black mould which requires regular removal and will mean that the interior of the building will have to be painted much more frequently than should be the case,” he said.
“When you tell people they can cure the problem with a combination of ventilation and heating they sometimes struggle to believe you.”
“Your Grandmother used to throw all the windows and doors open on a nice day. Perhaps she knew something we have forgotten?” he said.
Calum Willard is a senior property manager within the Residential Lettings Department of CPBigwood which manages over 20,000 properties spread over 30 counties across theUK.
The firm has seven offices inBirmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Henley-in-Arden, Loughborough, Eastleigh andLondon.
