Terminating Tenancy - Penetrating Damp + Black Mould

[Berlingogirl]

Your LL is, at last, doing the work you want. If you like the property just grin and bear it. If not, ask for a surrender.

[thesaint]

In Novemebr 2013, you knew that they were stringing you along by not getting the work done in the previous summer and spring.
Now the work you want doing is to be carried out, you are still not happy.

You can ask them for a surrender, they can decline.

[Gails]

I am a tenant with a private landlord on an Assured shorthold tenancy.

I have a severe mould and penetrating damp problem with my flat which has developed over the last 18 months or so. The landlord was made aware of the problem in November 2012. The weather then was too wet for them to carry out works on the exterior of the building, they said they would do this when the weather was drier. However this did not happen.

In Nov 2013 we renewed our tenancy as we do every year, this time we said so in good faith they will attend to the mould problem in reasonable time. They carried out some remedial works to the interior and said they would carry out the rest of the works to the exterior again in drier weather. However the mould problem came back very quickly and was growing more aggressively. The landlord kept saying there was nothing they could do until spring.

I contact the environmental health department of my local council for advice and an inspection on the flat. The landlord has now been issued a letter of the hazards and improvement notice will soon be served. The list of works I believe is extensive and extremely disruptive. The external walls need to be rerendered and brickwork repointed and the roof lining needs to be replaced, as well as this it is suggested they dry line all the walls inside. Scaffolding will need to be put up, which is not great for security and there will be workman coming in and out of the flat whilst this takes place.

I’m not happy with the rate the landlord has approached this problem and do not want to live in a building site for the next couple of months. There is no break clause in my contract which ends nov 2014, but I believe the landlord has breached the contract by not keeping up with repairs and maintenance. I feel I have grounds to terminate the contract and ask them to agree to a surrender. I would appreciates any advice.

Thank you!