Damp problem - Help needed!

[Bishy]

Hi,

Firstly I am not very DIY-minded at all. I am after some advice and opinions.
I own a flat and let it out. Before i did this i lived in the flat with my wife. It is a small 1 bed ground floor flat.

For some 3 years the down pipe to the guttering has been blocked meaning whenever it rains the area around it just floods. When we lived there we did experience mould and black spots in the two rooms along the outside wall. We did lots of things to try and solve the issue including borrowing a dehumidifier. The repair to the blockage was reported to the council (leaseholders) but never fixed.

A few months ago I inadvertently became a landlord as we needed to move but could not sell (current economic climate etc). Before I began letting the place I made sure that all rooms were decorated and again the repair to the guttering reported and I ensured this was logged and recorded. However just over 3 months in and I have received a call from the letting agent, that the tenant is having bad problems with mould in the exact same places.

My Dad mentioned he thought it was caused by rising damp due to the flooding caused by the blocked guttering. Firstly is this correct?

I have chased the council and they confirm the repair has not been completed despite it being 3 months down the line. Their excuse was the fact its a 3 storey building and the bad weather recently (which I appreciate to an extent), however the home is suffering, I have tenants to think about and I don't have a great deal of funds to remedy it.

I will gladly seek advice as to how best solve the situation, temporarily until the down pipe is fixed. dehumidifiers again? and what is the best course of action even after the guttering is fixed? Anybody know how long the wall will take to dry out.

Thanks in advance

A very frustrated and worried

Jon

 

[RedHerring2]

If it were my property, or if I was living there, I wouldn't have waited for the council to sort it. I'd have done it myself.

If that were not feasible, due to my own position, after requesting the landlord to fix, and it still wasn't done, I'd arrange for a local builder to do it and I'd send you the bill.

Sorry, if it's not what you want to hear, but IMO you have a duty to the tennant. Also the council (who I assume has the 'contract' for maintenance) has a duty to carry out the maintenance.
The tennant has a right to expect you to maintain the property.
You have a right to expect the leaseholder to carry out repairs to the fabric of the building.

The wall will take weeks, if not months to dry out, and you'll need to properly remove the mould, with a weak bleach solution or similar.

 

[JohnD]

...For some 3 years the down pipe to the guttering has been blocked ...

...I ensured this was logged and recorded. However just over 3 months in and I have received a call from the letting agent, that the tenant is having bad problems with mould in the exact same places.

Sorry, but you should have dealt with it sooner. The wall will have got very wet by now. You could buy the tenant a dehumidifier I suppose. The wall could easily take a year to dry out after the cause is fixed.

I find it is best to report faults by letter, and keep records in writing.