Tenant demanding compensation for mould?

Let him go, he will never be satisfied, also he needs proof of the damage he is claiming

redirected to wrong article

Ludicrous. The decision not to ventilate a property is what insurance companies call, “a lifestyle choice”. Interestingly, this can cover anything from drying laundry inside & allowing steam from lengthy showers to billow out into rooms, to simply breathing within a space for extended periods!
Naturally, when a property should be ventilated the most is when one is least inclined to do so – i.e. throughout the colder months of the year. It is my experience that people rarely do, regardless of what they tell you. The proof, as they say is, is in the pudding.
Thermal bridging/cold spots of the property will always gather condensation if there is no airflow (eg behind units) & where there is minimal insulation. And where there is condensation, there is the potential for black mould.
Since you cannot force a tenant to ventilate, you might try installing trickle vents on windows, air bricks & other vents in the relevant areas.
You can also improve the u-values of spaces that attract mould or help to mitigate potential for black mould growth by encouraging airflow (eg moving units to different locations), installing localised heating (ie wall hung heaters), or improving insulation (anything from insulated ‘wallpapers’ [foils, or a kind of polystyrene sandwich paper], through to full IWI systems).
In any event, demonstrating a acknowledgement of the problem & some attempts at working towards a resolution should be sufficient to show that you not in breach of contract/being lax in your duty as landlord.
You could offer a contribution towards the running costs of the dehumidifier, as a goodwill gesture; but otherwise I would reject any attempts at ‘compensation’ – especially without proof of damages (if indeed there were any material damage to his possessions, then this would be a matter for the handyman’s public liability insurance).
Best of luck

Have you ever had mould in the property before he moved in?

If not tell him as you responded promptly by supplying equipment, (personally I would have started with a bottle of HG Mould Remover and got him to clean the area and a document explaining how condensation occurs and ways to mitigate and it can result in mould if mitigation not followed and any spores removed immediately), getting a contractor in to rectify and also provided new carpet.
That he obviously failed to follow the contractors professional advise ie to remove his bedding, trainers and backpack from the room during the work and that before considering whether any compensation could be due as not following this professional advise you require to see physically the items he is claiming to have been damaged by dust.
As for paying for the running of the dehumidifier supplied I wouldn’t.
Serve s21 either 1st or by 29th April giving more than the required 2 months notice bearing in mind you need to apply for a Possession Order on or before 31st July

Reply to the comment left by ellis freeman at 12/02/2026 – 10:01
x2, if you have done everything you can to resolve the problem and it absolutely is not rising damp (pay to get it checked if necc) then get rid asap, you haven’t got long before S21 no longer exists then you won’t be able to.

Further on Zinnser anti mould paint is brilliant by the way for repairs to mould on surface walls. It does not fix the problem if there is one but good for repair.

We provide dehumidifiers in all our properties (2 dehumidifiers per property) and have no problems, same at home as well, no mould issues at all. One of our properties even has a bathroom with no windows so ventilation potentially was a problem but it isn’t.
When you check if you see a lot of condensation on the windows then you know ventilation is not great. But you can’t force tenants to open windows etc.

Be sure you’ve covered yourself. This could quickly turn into a dilapidations claim against you run by a no win no fee shark solicitor and potential costs running into 10s of thousands. (ask me how I know !)

Note: Section 21 evictions are planned to be abolished from 1 May 2026.

Let him leave and rejoice when he goes.

You’ll have a better room to let and hopefully a tenant less entitled and demanding, with more common sense.

Check if there is a clause in the tenancy agreement saying that the tenant is responsible for insuring his own possessions / chattles (they are in most tenancy agreements) and I would then tell him that it is his responsibility and to claim it from his own insurance.

These are essential repairs that he requested and I cannot see how he could legitimately claim for the time the handyman was there carrying out the repairs.

Reply to the comment left by Alex at 12/02/2026 – 10:10
Good advice there.

There appears to be a lot of comments on blame, but the biggest issue is lack of understanding on both parties Tenant and landlord , We as Humans in this modern world with more plastics rooms and buildings that dont breath tenants who generate a lot of moisture from cooking cleaning showers and drying of wet clothes as well as poor air flow is a major factor .We are being asked to cut costs on bills both utilities etc we have a large portion of older buildings and those who have been poorly built in the past with low grade insulation decaying pointing Cement render added to Lime mortar buildings etc all creating issues and unless you really start looking at your housing stock not just as an investment and income stream but as an asset protection you will always get these issues, If anyone is interested Im looking to set up some kind of chat room forum where we can all come up with solutions to acheive a suitable goal for all which is better housing and higher ROI , Retrofit surveyor

A PIV system can be a good way to “tenant-proof” your investment. I’m told you can even get units for individual rooms these days. Just make sure the tenant can’t sabotage it.