Facing a damp and mould nightmare? This landlord found a different way out

Landlords in England can now face civil penalties of up to £7,000 for serious Category 1 hazards, including severe damp and mould, where the legal conditions for enforcement are met.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, councils have been handed greater enforcement powers, increasing the risks for landlords who fail to address dangerous conditions in their properties.

But damp and mould problems are not always straightforward to solve.

The cause can be difficult to identify, and putting it right can cost many thousands of pounds.

We were approached by a Property118 landlord who wanted to sell some of his older rental properties. One, in particular, had an EPC D rating and was likely to require significant investment to reach a C rating in future.

To make matters worse, a selective licensing inspection had identified a number of Category 1 and Category 2 hazards, including widespread damp and mould in the kitchen and bedrooms, caused in part by defective guttering and inadequate ventilation.

Liverpool City Council had issued a formal Improvement Notice requiring repairs within a specified timeframe and council approval of the work. Failure to comply could have exposed the landlord to a substantial civil penalty or prosecution.

Like many landlords, he questioned whether it was worth pouring more time and money into a property that was becoming increasingly stressful to own.

Facing remedial works and strict council deadlines, he came to us to sell the house while the tenant was still living there, allowing the sale and remedial works to progress together, keeping voids to a minimum rather than waiting for the tenant to leave, completing the works and only then starting the sales process.

We first established what the Improvement Notice required, then marketed the property to our network of buyers with full disclosure of the inspection findings and the plans to address the compulsory repairs.

We secured a cash purchaser looking for a value-add investment.

The buyer agreed to proceed before the required works had been completed. With Landlord Sales Agency coordinating the project, they paid our standard non-refundable deposit before the property sale contracts were exchanged. The deposit formed part of the agreed purchase price rather than an additional charge.

The landlord had already served a Section 21 notice before contacting us. We worked with the tenant to arrange access for marketing, viewings and surveys, found a buyer and secured the sale all while the tenant was living in the property.

We continued to liaise with the tenant and arranged the remedial works to start work as soon as the tenant had moved out.

We kept the buyer and seller updated throughout and liaised directly with the council and builder to ensure the works were completed and inspected as soon as possible to keep the sale moving and complete as fast as possible.

We want landlords to know that, no matter what type of challenge they face—whether it is finding the right buyer for a property needing repairs or selling pristine properties without leaving them empty and losing rent for long periods, we work to find a solution tailored to their needs.

We understand ALL the challenges landlords face because Landlord Sales Agency was founded by landlords and is a first-class service for landlords.

Whether you own one property or a large portfolio, and whether your property is in need of repair or in pristine condition ready to sell as a turnkey business, we can help you find the right buyer for all your properties and needs.

Tenanted properties typically sell for between 85 – 90% of vacant possession value without all the hassle of evicting tenants and rent coming in up to the completion, where possible.

We sell properties in all conditions with all sorts of tenancies to all sorts of buyers.

So, if you want a simple path to a fast, reliable sale, get in touch with Landlord Sales Agency today. We’ll tell you exactly what we can do before we do it and before we ask you to sign anything so if you don’t think it’s the right fit for you, then simply walk away.