As the clocks change and the evenings get darker, we are reminded that the winter weather is just around the corner. During the winter months, we start to feel the cold more and spend more time inside our homes. This is when your tenants start to notice the damp and condensation issues that may be lurking in their properties.
Condensation is perhaps the most common form of dampness that can appear in your rented property and can cause wallpaper to peel, damp patches to appear on walls and a build-up of moisture on your windows.
Many tenants tend to ignore the early signs of condensation and never mention it to their landlord until the problem has exacerbated, causing mould to spread across your walls, windows, and ceilings. Despite the problem lingering for months beforehand the tenant will expect you to solve the problem in a timely manner.
The reason condensation appears in your property is due to a lack of adequate ventilation and heating. As we spend more time indoors and make our property more energy efficient the build up of moisture and humidity levels increase. In fact, four people living in a 3 bedroom property would create 112 pints of moisture a week from just breathing, cooking, showering and boiling the kettle.
Its fair to say, the winter season can be an expensive time if your tenants are not instructed to spot the signs of condensation and take precautions.