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Carry out mid-term inspections now, urges AIIC
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
Landlords are being advised that now is the perfect time to carry out a mid-term inspection of their rental property.
The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) is calling for prompt inspections as many homes could be suffering from mould, generally caused by condensation issues.
Prevention
In order to prevent the problem from escalating, the AIIC urges landlords to carry out these checks on properties in the next few weeks.
‘Mould can be caused by a lack of ventilation or incorrect drying of wet washing-even if just one tenant is living in the property,’ noted Patricia Barber, Chair of the AIIC. ‘It can also be caused by on-going leaks both inside and outside the property, blocked gutters and missing roof tiles.’[1]
If mould is found to be present in a property, the AIIC advises that landlords should ensure that this is not due to external factors, lack of ventilation or any other issue that they can easily solve themselves.
Carry out mid-term inspections now, urges AIIC
Instructions
On the other hand, if a build up of mould is being caused by substandard living conditions, the landlord should inform their tenants of actions required in writing.
These should include:
- reference to ventilating the property
- wiping down walls and windows
- using extractor fans
- not putting damp washing on radiators or heaters
- rubbing down and mould spores as soon as they are noticed
Barber concluded by saying, ‘if mould is not dealt with on a regular basis the resulting damage could cause both tenant and landlord a lot of money at the end of a tenancy.’[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/2/landlords-urged-to-carry-out-mid-tenancy-inspections
