Sadiq Khan pushes for tougher penalties for landlords over mouldy homes

Mr Khan can you please work with landlords and give us some help and support with your magic wand to reduce mould. There is always at least 2 sides to arguments. LLs don’t want their properties to be mouldy and unhealthy for their tenants. If LL s provide all the support and extractor fans and tenants fail to use them …..how is it the LLs fault? If you keep supporting tenants no matter what, they will never listen to the LL who tries to explain the reasons why there is mould.

Reply to the comment left by JeggNegg at 30/11/2023 - 11:18If that is the case, where if Mr Khan thinks mould is a Landlord's problem, and holds a Landlord responsible then the best thing for those Landlords who do not have any mortgage to pay on their property close it down, evict tenants on the bases that the property is not suitable for habitation due to mould, keep it long term empty until there is no more mould, has anyone noticed when a property is empty it is always well and dry, so keep property empty or sell it up, so let him home tenants in his house. This man pukes out a load of rubbish starting with the revolting ULEZ expansion scheme. Let us hope he will no longer be our next Mayor.,

Here we ago again, another reason for dodgy tenants to get up to 2 years rent back. It doesn't take long to deliberately cause damp especially in the winter. When are these ignorant people who know nothing about most things going to wake up. Virtually everything in life is controlled by cause and effect so why don't these people in power try using it to get things right. So frustrating these idiots that try to run our lives but cause unnecessary misery and suffering. Previously from him .London property: Sadiq Khan scheme to spend £150m buying 1,500 ex-council homes that were sold off under Right to Buy, that's £10,000 each or have I got something wrong.

Mould is a 'lifestyle choice'. If I see any in my home I wipe it and make sure there's sufficient heat and ventilation so that it doesn't come back. I don't watch it grow and blame my mortgage company!

My tenants are students, some of whom like to live in darkness with no ventilation. I direct them to a Youtube video about mould before they move in but some see ventilation as the enemy. This makes me a bad landlord who must be blamed!

I suppose it's too much to expect that this would apply to social housing as well?

Gove has well and truly stitched up Landlords regarding damp and mould, and no doubt Khan is jumping on the bandwagon.
See Government Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers/understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-of-damp-and-mould-in-the-home--2
"As this guidance also makes clear, tenants should not be blamed for damp and mould. Damp and mould in the home are not the result of ‘lifestyle choices’, and it is the responsibility of landlords to identify and address the underlying causes of the problem, such as structural issues or inadequate ventilation".
Many tenants are young or have never been homeowners and are unfamiliar with the causes of damp and mould. I always provide a guide on how prevent it, published by a Council and hence an 'official' and informed source, but that will probably carry little or no weight now should a dispute arise.
Little wonder that LLs are exiting the PRS when Government publishes ignorant nonsense that defies the laws of physics and hands tenants another weapon to hit us with.

Reply to the comment left by JeggNegg at 30/11/2023 - 11:06
Away Isaak was a two year old boy who tragically died due to the severe black mould, damp and condensation in the family's RSL accommodation and the evidently discriminatory manner in which the family's pleas for help from their landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing to fix the problem, fell on deaf ears.
This tragic and avoidable death is what prompted Michael Gove as Housing Secretary to state the following:
""Awaab's case has thrown into sharp relief the need for renewed action to ensure that every landlord in the country makes certain that their tenants are housed in decent homes, and they are treated with dignity and fairness."

As a former local authority housing officer for more than two decades, the unpleasant but sad reality is that BOTH RSL and the private sector are riddled with inept, incompetent and downright rogue Landlords whose only concern is for the profit from their property portfolios!

The absolute lack of humanity shown by far too many landlords towards their Tenants is appalling.

With RSL's there are at least statutory processes for addressing such failures/ tenancy breaches by landlords.
In the private sector, there are far less remedial avenues available to tenants.

I proactively work with Landlords and Tenants to address and resolve such tenancy matters.
But I will call it as it is:
It is NOT acceptable for ANY landlord to simply accuse Tenants of being responsible for damp, condensation and life-threatening black mould in properties," lifestyle cause"- which DO NOT MEET A DECENT HOMES STANDARD!

Away Isaak was a two year old boy who tragically died due to the severe black mould, damp and condensation in the family's RSL accommodation and the evidently discriminatory manner in which the family's pleas for help from their landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing to fix the problem, fell on deaf ears.
This tragic and avoidable death is what prompted Michael Gove as Housing Secretary to state the following:
""Awaab's case has thrown into sharp relief the need for renewed action to ensure that every landlord in the country makes certain that their tenants are housed in decent homes, and they are treated with dignity and fairness."

As a former local authority housing officer for more than two decades, the unpleasant but sad reality is that BOTH RSL and the private sector are riddled with inept, incompetent and downright rogue Landlords whose only concern is for the profit from their property portfolios!

The absolute lack of humanity shown by far too many landlords towards their Tenants is appalling.

With RSL's there are at least statutory processes for addressing such failures/ tenancy breaches by landlords.
In the private sector, there are far less remedial avenues available to tenants.

I proactively work with Landlords and Tenants to address and resolve such tenancy matters.
But I will call it as it is:
It is NOT acceptable for ANY landlord to simply accuse Tenants of being responsible for damp, condensation and life-threatening black mould in properties," lifestyle cause"- which DO NOT MEET A DECENT HOMES STANDARD!

So Mr Khan: once again the PRS is a target for people who have little if any knowledge or experience of the industry and its problems.

London is known for its rich history, diverse culture, and iconic landmarks. However, beneath the glamour and allure of the capital lies a housing crisis that continues to plague council tenants, particularly in council houses and council flats.
Dampness in these social housing units has been a persistent issue, negatively impacting the lives of thousands of residents.
Dampness in council houses and council flats has been a recurring nightmare for many Londoners. It’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a severe health hazard. Damp conditions can lead to respiratory problems, allergies, and mould-related issues, making the problem a significant public health concern. The tenants, often with limited resources, are caught in a seemingly endless cycle of seeking relief from damp problems.

People in glass houses etc…….sort your own house out first Mr Khan

Gove, like Khan, is unfortunately unqualified and appears to have little, if any knowledge of the problem.

Local councils throughout the UK issue guidelines to tenants explaining the mould and condensation is lifestyle…….are they all wrong?

Trade bodies and builders explain that the problem is usually caused by lifestyle….presumably all these people are also wrong.

A colleague of mine with decades of experience in the building industry confirmed that the problem I was having with mould was caused by the tenant drying wet clothes on radiators, windows closed shut and the house being like a sauna with the heating on full….so he too must be wrong.

These politicians need to speak to people who know what is happening, rather than those who think they do…

Until then, we will continue to be on the receiving end of ill-informed and incorrect election rhetoric.

What sanctions will Khan impose on Tenants when the Landlord can prove that the actions of the Tenant is the cause of the mould problems? This current headline attacking Landlords is just a PR stunt by Khan, believing it will gain him votes.