rented property, must it have an extractor fan?

[amykitchen673]

we have just finished renting an annexe, which is an old build. the landlord has now stung us with a bill for mould even though we reported it more than once and she said there is nothing we can do about it. we ventilated as much as we could baring in mind it was winter! and also used a dehumidifier constantly. Should this building have an extractor fan in either the kitchen or bathroom by law??

 

[big-all]

heeelllooo and welcomeamykitchen673

i dont know the answer but i am shure there would be conditions they would have to comply with to get permission to convert from residential to holiday let at the time off application there may also be other checks other than gas required for letting!!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Should this building have an extractor fan in either the kitchen or bathroom by law??

No unless the bathroom and kitchen are recent additions to the house they probably won't need extractors and in any case that should not be the basis of your argument. Your argument will need to be a more complex one and you should seek advice forums such as this one: http://www.penaltychargesforum.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?273-Landlords-Tenants-Forum there are several on the web and I would post a thread on a few of them. If you started your tenancy after April 2007 your deposit should be held in a proper scheme and it will be a lot easier for you to deal with a dispute. I can let you into a secret and tell you that tenants win the majority of disputes as landlords/agents are usually a bit c**p at arguing their case.

 

[jeds]

My advice is speak to environmental health. They have responsibility for environmental condition of rented property and are able to, and very often do, direct landlords to carry out almost any works. Extractor fans are their most favouritist things in the world.

 

[JohnD]

More often than not, severe condensation is caused by the occupiers draping wet washing about the house, or failing to ventilate the bathroom during or after a shower. If the occupier does either of these, there is no way anyone else can make the house dry.

Have you any way of proving that you did not do these things?

//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

More often than not, severe condensation is caused by the occupiers draping wet washing about the house, or failing to ventilate the bathroom during or after a shower. If the occupier does either of these, there is no way anyone else can make the house dry.

Have you any way of proving that you did not do these things?

//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses[/QUOTE]
Likewise the landlord needs to provide provision for drying clothes by providing a washing line or dryer. Its a two way thing, there are many irresponsible tenants out there and there are many irresponsible landlords. We have to take the OP at their word that they 'ventilated as much as possible', its a stupid landlord who is too cheap to install a fan when he knows there's an issue with condensation. Only then can the landlord start pointing the finger after he's done at least something to minimize the problem.