Are Tenants Responsible for Condensation

There have been numerous changes to the responsibilities of landlords and their tenants in recent years to ensure that housing is safe and healthy for residents. The introduction of Awaab’s law in the UK brings forward a range of new protections for tenants in terms of how quickly issues with damp and mould must be resolved, but many people have questions about the responsibilities of tenants when it comes to preventing mould from becoming an issue.

Under the new legislation, landlords have a responsibility for resolving problems with mould and damp as quickly as possible, but tenants also have duties to fulfil, and in some cases, the cause of damp or mould may mean that the tenant has responsibility.

The causes of damp and mould

There are three main types of damp that can damage a property and cause mould to develop:

• Rising damp

• Penetrating damp

• Condensation damp

Rising and penetrating damp are caused by issues related to the structure of the building. In the case of rising damp, water soaks up into the walls of the building from the ground because the damp proof membrane has failed, and in penetrating damp, water enters the building through a hole.

In both cases, the landlord has responsibility as the owner of the property, and as such, will need to pay for the problem to be fixed and any damage to be rectified.

The third type of damp – condensation damp – is caused by moisture from inside the building soaking into walls. Air can hold water vapour up to a point where it becomes saturated – the amount of water vapour depends on the temperature. At high humidity levels, if the air cools when the air is holding close to the maximum amount of water vapour for a given temperature, the water will condense onto cold surfaces and can soak into walls creating condensation damp patches.

Who is responsible for condensation

Water vapour is released into the air through the action of the residents of a building. Cooking on the hob, taking a shower, washing dishes, and even breathing all contribute to humidity levels, and a landlord may put restrictions on a property such as limiting the number of residents, using paraffin heaters, or prohibiting drying clothes indoors to prevent humidity levels rising too high. Landlords should also ensure that the house is properly ventilated with suitable extractor fans in the bathrooms and kitchen.

The landlord is responsible for ensuring that the property is fit for human habitation, which means that any damp or mould problems should be fixed as quickly as possible to protect the health of residents, but tenants also have a responsibility to avoid activities that could cause unwanted condensation.

Find out more

If you are concerned about mould in a property and want to identify the source of condensation, our local ventilation specialists can help.