# Damp in apartment - poor ventilation



## b4nd1t (11 Jan 2013)

Hi All

Would like some opinions/advice on problem with my current tenancy in the 2nd letting of a 3 year old apartment. 

Background:

We have been suffering pretty badly with very high humidity throughout the apartment of 80-85% due to the apartments being built with only ventilation through the window - small sliding thing giving very tiny amount of air flow.

In the summer the problem was not too bad as we could have the window open for a few hours a day and so the mould build up was not too bad although the humidity would still rapidly rise to 85% again!

But approaching the winter as we could not keep the windows open for too long - especially with a small child the mould went crazy even with opening for at least an hour in the morning and afternoon!

Mould appearing in lots of corners - covering walls and on the ceiling - under chest of drawers were green, clothes , shoes etc..

Skirting boards have broken from the walls where they have absorbed so much water.

We stopped using the ensuite to try and reduce the problem with the main bedroom where the little one is sleeping but still she is often getting ill with runny nose, cough etc.  I have asthma and have been suffering very badly - taking very strong medication just to survive.

We purchased a dehumidifier in the summer to help reduce humidity as i was suffering so badly with my asthma and it was taking water out like you would not believe.

Anyhow, we reported these issues to the agent and they admitted that there is not adequate ventilation and they are searching for a permanent solution to the problem, but from what i can see the apartments were built before the change of building regs and would need structural work done costing €,000's.

They got a mould buster round who treated the apartment and cleaned the mould off the worst parts and sprayed furniture etc.. and they built an even bigger dehumidifer for us to use to make things more bearable - this has helped a great deal.

The Agency admitted the problem of poor ventilation and high humidity (i purchased hygrometer to measure) - indeed many apartments in the complex are having the same problems, i understand it would of been grounds to break the lease early and this would of been the course of action i would of pursued as our health is more important but as it was just before christmas it would of been very difficult to move with little child etc and the lease is up in february so we were hoping to just struggle through to the end of the lease - i also do not like to break any contracts.  

Even though we have been cleaning mould off the walls every weekend - it has become a nightmare of a chore.

But my problem now is that we have been negotiating with the Agency that we have had extra costs due to this humidity that we would not normally expect to have such as, electricity higher for dehumidifier, our furniture has been infected with mould and would need to be discarded (purchased new in March!) and also i think the extra medical expenses related to my asthma.

They have agreed to cover the difference between our quarterly electric bill costs for running the dehumidifier which i am fine with but then only €100 to cover our damaged furniture and medical costs, clothes etc.

What do people think?  I think we should be looking for the electricity costs plus at least €500 to cover medical expenses €200, furniture €210, €90 for other items.

Am i being unreasonable to expect this or is this a fair offer?

Thanks in advance for any advice , opinions.


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## elcato (11 Jan 2013)

I think the best course of action is to move out.


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## oldnick (11 Jan 2013)

By amazing coincidence I was informed today that my tenant in a basement apt was moving out because of damp.
I felt embarrassed, offered to rectify the situation and let her stay for a month at no charge (rent is 400 per month) after which time she could leave or stay. If she wanted to leave today she could have full deposit back immediately. fortunately the situation is not as bad as OP describes.

She admitted that she never opened the windows, even though in "the advice letter" I gave her it states windows must be opened for at least 20 mins per day. However, I understood that in Winter a single mother with a child is loath to do this (especially being from a  tropical clime !).

Anyway, I'm getting a decent extractor and after bleaching the walls will use an anti-mould paint.

This doesn't answer OP's question.  If OP had given full details of the worsening situation and it did not improve then there are good grounds for compensation. However, i'm baffled as to why OP stayed in that place as it got worse and worse.

Anyway, move out - and make your claim


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## b4nd1t (11 Jan 2013)

Yes i regret that we should of just moved earlier as it has been a nightmare and cost us in financial terms as well as a great deal of suffering with bad health.  The reason we thought we would try and manage is that we are looking to emigrate and entering a new 1 year lease would not be ideal but it has been a losing battle and we should of moved out straight away.

The apartment is 3 years old and an example of the standard of building is that the main bathroom vent has no air suction because the one vent has been concreted over!!!

I mis-understood the Agent and it is 300e discount on the last months rent as compensation which we will probably accept and learn our lesson (take a hygrometer when viewing apartments) and move on from this bad experience.


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## Guns N Roses (11 Jan 2013)

b4nd1t said:


> We have been suffering pretty badly with very high humidity throughout the apartment of 80-85% due to the apartments being built with only ventilation through the window - small sliding thing giving very tiny amount of air flow.



This type of ventilation strip should be providing enough air to ventilate the apartment particularly if they are left open all the time and are not obstructed in any way. I have this type in my own house and they work well.



b4nd1t said:


> Mould appearing in lots of corners - covering walls and on the ceiling - under chest of drawers were green, clothes , shoes etc



If there is this much mould then I fear the problem is more than poor ventilation. It's been my experience that excessive mould is usually the cause of poorly insulated exterior walls. I would guess that you are finding most of the mould on the external walls and little or none on the internal walls? If this is the case then it's poor insulation. When you heat the apartment, the hot air condenses on the cold exterior walls forming water vapour which encourages mould growth.

The problem won't go away until the external walls are properly insulated which I'm guessing will cost 000's.

Best advice I can give you is to move out as soon as you can.


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