Call of the Week: Tackling condensation

We recently helped a member learn more about what they can do as a landlord to tackle the issue of condensation in their rental property.

They had been informed by their tenant that on some of the windows in the property, there is a lot of condensation especially in the morning.

The landlord hadn’t experienced this in previous tenancies and wondered how they should go about tackling this problem.

The advice from our team

Our adviser began by saying that it is important to take steps to tackle condensation in rental properties.

Condensation in and of itself is not a hazard for the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and is unlikely to be a serious defect in the property that would give rise to a claim under the Fitness for Human Habitation legislation.

Despite this, condensation can lead to issues relating to damp and mould growth, both of which could be considered under the aforementioned pieces of legislation. Not to say our member's issue would certainly become that, but this is why it should be addressed and nipped in the bud.

Landlords are advised to first establish why the condensation issue has arisen, and where. It may be best to arrange a property inspection to do this.

Condensation typically arises where the moisture in the air has nowhere to vent to, often in areas like kitchens and bathrooms.

There are a number of practical steps both landlords and tenants can then take to tackle condensation, such as ensuring the property is well ventilated. Our adviser explained these are all covered in our useful condensation guide.  

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