A question about Mould

[Phiber]

Hi guys,

So here goes: I've got tenants about to vacate my IP.
They have been complaining about mould issues in the wardrobe and have been playing us, asking for financial compensation for their supposedly damaged clothes. We agreed to relieve them of their lease obligation early. Having lived in the property myself for over 3 years, I know there are no mould issues with the property, and that they are BS us.

Now I asked the PM to ensure during the final inspection the unit is properly cleaned and handed back in the same condition it was given to the tenants: cleaned and mould free. I asked the PM to ensure that if mould was present on the property in the area the tenant has reported issues, the cost of cleaning the mould and restoring to its original state be taken out of the bond.
He replied the following: "I can ensure the cleanliness of the unit but the mould is not tenants responsibility."

- Is this correct?

Please note incoming inspection report + routine inspection one month ago did not reveal any mould. Property is in NSW.

The PM has been pretty poor so far and I am starting to question his statements. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[chilliblue]

Unless you can prove that the mould present was due to the tenant then it is your responsibility.

 

[Snoopy]

I have been in the same situation. No mould when we were living in a unit but issues with tenants. They were not opening the windows and doors as much as we did.

We were advised it was the landlords issue and we bought these things from Bunnings (a container with something in them)which removes moisture from the air. We also painted the bathroom with mould proof paint etc.

 

[Peterw]

In QLD, the RTA has information about mould and who is responsible on their website. Look up your state and there may be an answer. With our high humidity, if I go away for a week (with the house closed for that time), I come home to mouldy shoes, belts clothes etc. We use Glen 20, and lots of fresh air to fix.

 

[nww]

Hi guys,

So here goes: I've got tenants about to vacate my IP.
They have been complaining about mould issues in the wardrobe and have been playing us, asking for financial compensation for their supposedly damaged clothes. We agreed to relieve them of their lease obligation early. Having lived in the property myself for over 3 years, I know there are no mould issues with the property, and that they are BS us.

Now I asked the PM to ensure during the final inspection the unit is properly cleaned and handed back in the same condition it was given to the tenants: cleaned and mould free. I asked the PM to ensure that if mould was present on the property in the area the tenant has reported issues, the cost of cleaning the mould and restoring to its original state be taken out of the bond.
He replied the following: "I can ensure the cleanliness of the unit but the mould is not tenants responsibility."

- Is this correct?

Please note incoming inspection report + routine inspection one month ago did not reveal any mould. Property is in NSW.

The PM has been pretty poor so far and I am starting to question his statements. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Have you seen evidence of mould , clothes or area.

 

[fullylucky]

Hi guys,

So here goes: I've got tenants about to vacate my IP.
They have been complaining about mould issues in the wardrobe and have been playing us, asking for financial compensation for their supposedly damaged clothes. We agreed to relieve them of their lease obligation early. Having lived in the property myself for over 3 years, I know there are no mould issues with the property, and that they are BS us.

Now I asked the PM to ensure during the final inspection the unit is properly cleaned and handed back in the same condition it was given to the tenants: cleaned and mould free. I asked the PM to ensure that if mould was present on the property in the area the tenant has reported issues, the cost of cleaning the mould and restoring to its original state be taken out of the bond.
He replied the following: "I can ensure the cleanliness of the unit but the mould is not tenants responsibility."

- Is this correct?

Please note incoming inspection report + routine inspection one month ago did not reveal any mould. Property is in NSW.

The PM has been pretty poor so far and I am starting to question his statements. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

You should go have a look and see if there is mould or not.

Sometimes people close the windows and never open them. Because they are **** scared of the cold. They'd rather smell their own carbon dioxide then to be "cold" then mould builds up.

Sometimes Chinese people fresh from China do this. If they are from a big city in China the air quality is really bad. Living there is like smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Keeping the windows open makes them think they will get cancer. So they are just use to closing all the windows. Then mould builds up.

 

[elsLan]

Mould occurs when there is either lack of ventilation or dampness.
Unless there is a water penetration issue that you were notified of or discovered and did not action I would say the issue in this case is lack of ventilation and thus a tenant responsibility.
It's easily cleaned with a vinegar and water solution. Bleach only bleaches the color and doesn't kill the spores so it returns.

 

[Phiber]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Apparently the PM has been sent photos of clothing items with mould on it.
The PM said "it's a joke" so it must not be very significant.
According to the tenant, mould cannot be seen on the walls themselves.

Thanks for the vinegar tip, I might just give that a quick go in between tenants, if I see any evidence of mould.

Still a bit surprised it is landlord's responsibility given mould does not originate from the building. But the rules are the rules I guess.

 

[hugh72]

I've had lots of problems with mould especially on the ceiling in a property in Sunnybank. I have had the gutters cleaned, the roof inspected, and there are no leaks evident, I also had a whirlybird installed. I'm sure the problem is the Chinese tenants never opening any windows and just running the a/c.
We never had any problems when we lived there.

 

[moridog]

Put sticks of chalk in the runners or anywhere else in the damp areas, dry out chalk in the sun and put it back.

 

[fullylucky]

I've had lots of problems with mould especially on the ceiling in a property in Sunnybank. I have had the gutters cleaned, the roof inspected, and there are no leaks evident, I also had a whirlybird installed. I'm sure the problem is the Chinese tenants never opening any windows and just running the a/c.
We never had any problems when we lived there.

You can't blame em. Just the way they are raised. "Don't open the windows dust will get throat cancer!"

They don't realise how fresh Australian air is.

 

[Lil Skater]

Mould is usually caused by poor ventilation, tenant responsibility IMO.

Unless the mould is treated and keeps coming back when all precautions have been taken by the tenants. Then you start looking at trees, gutters, leaks etc.

 

[ARosst]

I had an unventilated dryer in a bathroom which would as you can imagine get really moist and mould would form. I used to put exit mould on a squeegee mop and run it over ceiling and walls. It worked really well and would inhibit mould growth for months. Good luck

 

[crest133]

High humidity and poor ventilation encourage mould. In a wardrobe high humidity can be caused by putting clothes in the wardrobe that are not properly dry. Also lack of ventilation is a factor and can be avoided by venting robes into the roof space or adding side or rear vents, or leaving the doors open as people do in the tropical areas. Some storage areas use the warmth of a low wattage light globe to reduce humidity. That used to be an old trick for those in tropical areas with cassette and video tapes, put them in a "hot box" with a small light on all the time, same for clothes. Just my 2c worth, might be of some help.
Good luck
Cheers
crest133