"In extreme circumstances, mould can prove fatal. In November 2022, a coroner ruled that the death of a two-year-old boy, Awaab Ishak, was due to prolonged exposure to black mould in his rented home in Rochdale"
- Joe Lloyd-Allen - Nuaire
The Renters’ Rights Bill is currently going through Parliament at a fast pace, with the second reading completed at the House of Lords on 4th February. The government states the Bill will be “the biggest shake up to the private rented sector for over 30 years, delivering stronger protections and rights to 11 million private renters across the country.”
A key aspect of the Bill is the requirement for landlords to improve living standards in rental homes, with a specific focus on damp and mould. 2024 research from Citizens Advice claims 45% of private renters in England have damp, mould or excessive cold in their home; 48% of them have been living with these disrepair issues for over a year.
Sources of damp & mould
Everyday activities, such as cooking and cleaning, create moisture in a home. In winter, when windows are shut, the moisture is trapped if there is inadequate ventilation. When the trapped moist, warm air meets a cold surface like a window or external wall, it turns to condensation.
What are the dangers of damp and mould?
Damp and mould are not just unpleasant and unsightly, but are potentially dangerous. The obvious risk to health is respiratory-based, which has the greatest impact in the young, old and those with existing respiratory conditions, including asthma. Eye irritation, skin reactions and headaches can also be caused by mould.
In extreme circumstances, mould can prove fatal. In November 2022, a coroner ruled that the death of a two-year-old boy, Awaab Ishak, was due to prolonged exposure to black mould in his rented home in Rochdale.
Following this tragic death, Awaab’s Law was introduced as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act and will come into force this October. It requires social housing landlords by law to fix damp and mould issues to strict deadlines, or rehouse tenants in safe accommodation. Landlords who fail to meet the standards required could face unlimited fines.
The new requirements of the Renters’ Rights Bill
Awaab’s Law has now been incorporated into the Renters’ Rights Bill, and will apply to privately rented homes. Time frames for investigations and repairs have yet to be set out. Landlords who do not comply will face consequences, with tenants able to take them to court for breach of contract, where, if the court finds the landlord in breach, they will be able to order the landlord to take appropriate action and/or pay compensation. A new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman is also being established to whom tenants can lodge complaints.
In addition to Awaab’s Law, the Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector to give renters safer, better value homes.
There has been heated discussion around the impact of Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard in the private rental sector, from the specifics of how it will work through to the additional burdens it will place on landlords. However, less talk has been dedicated to how landlords can achieve compliance.
Tried and tested solutions exist
In our climate, living with condensation in the winter months can sometimes feel inevitable. Yet, tried and tested solutions to remove damp air and prevent mould from forming exist and have been in use for years.
All homes require suitable ventilation to remove poor quality air and condensation that can lead to damp and mould. Opening windows as the main ventilation source is rarely suitable, and in rental properties is not something to rely upon.
Intermittent extract fans are the obvious first port of call when dealing with condensation. As their name implies, these fans turn on and off, controlled by a timer, light switch, or sensor. These are ideally placed in bathrooms and kitchens, but can also be used in other rooms. It’s more than likely that you will already have extract fans in your rental properties, but it’s also more than likely that they will not be powerful enough.
Recent revisions to Building Regulations acknowledged that previous ventilation levels were insufficient to reach all parts of a home, especially the bedrooms, overnight if doors are kept shut. Ventilation rates have therefore been increased, especially in larger properties. That means more powerful and efficient fans need to be used, such as Nuaire’s Cyfan extract fan and/or a Decentralised Mechanical Extract Ventilation (dMEV) fan such as our new Faith-Plus.
These types of extract fans come at a highly affordable purchase price, plus, they have low maintenance and life cycle expenditure, and are cost effective to run for residents.
If high capacity extract fans are in place but condensation dampness has not been alleviated, Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) systems, such as the Nuaire Drimaster-Eco, are the next step to consider. Installed in a loft in less than an hour, with a small hole cut through the ceiling for the vent, PIV systems draw fresh air into the loft space directly from outside which is then filtered before gently dispersing into the home via a central diffuser at a continuous rate, encouraging movement of air from inside to outside.
Tried and tested (they have been in use for 50 years!), PIV systems are a highly effective remedial solution for condensation dampness. What’s more, they are inexpensive, long-lasting and non-disruptive for residents.
Act now
No matter what your thoughts are on the rights and wrongs of the Renters’ Rights Bill, it will be passing into law this year. Use the coming months wisely to determine what actions you need to take to address damp and mould issues in your properties, and install measures now to ensure you are compliant and your tenants are safe.
