Damp bedroom

kfish2oo2

I'm living in a rented house for the college year with a few friends. The house is about mid-80's but 2 years ago had insulation pumped into the walls - that was the main reason we bought the house.

I haven't noticed much of a problem throughout the house, but my bedroom (the house is rented room by room) seems to have a fairly severe damp problem. Its a (very) small room over the front hallway with a north facing window. When I first moved in there was some mold in one corner - from the look and smell of it the last tenants had spilled a beer over the wall and never cleaned it up. I washed all the walls down with anti-bacterial soap and haven't had any mold since. However, the damp problem is really starting to drive me mad - there's a constant damp smell and my clothes (and particularly my bed) are often damp to the touch. Naturally sleeping in a damp bed and wearing damp clothes isn't doing wonders for my health, particularly as I have fairly severe asthma.

I've yet to sign any lease agreements so I could theoretically move out, but in my experience of student houses in the area, the damp problem is pretty much unavoidable. I've read about dehumidifiers and I think thats probably the best thing I can do at the moment - there really doesn't seem to be any rising damp so the problem seems to be condensation. Also there is no ventilation shaft in the room at all.

Like I said, the room is very small - its big enough to fit four single mattresses side by side with no room to spare. What size dehumidifier would work in this space?

Also, should I ask the landlord to provide said humidifier? I'm not really sure what to do about this, but my room seems to be the worst by far and its already starting to effect my health. By means of illustrating just how bad the problem is - I put clean, dry bed clothes on my bed last night, the room has been ventilated all night and this morning as I type this, my duvet and pillow are damp to the touch.

Oh and while I'm here, I have another quick query - are we as tenants entitled to a washing machine? There isn't one in the house and a friend of mine insists that we're supposed to have one.

Victor

That sounds like an extraordinary level of dampness. Certainly keep the window open for as long as possible and make sure the heating is working.

I would suggest you have it investigated. Talk to the landlord, bring him over if possible, explain your health situation and express you concern that the building is compromised. If the landlord is slow to deal with it, talk to the housing department in the council and ask for the property to be inspected.

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

I'm living in a rented house for the college year with a few friends. The house is about mid-80's but 2 years ago had insulation pumped into the walls - that was the main reason we bought the house.

Buy or rent?

Oh and while I'm here, I have another quick query - are we as tenants entitled to a washing machine?

Yes.

kfish2oo2

We rent - posted that early this morning (woken up by that damn damp!) so wasn't proof reading it at all.

I'll get onto the landlord about it after the weekend. At the moment we haven't actually used the heating at all. Like I said, the house is recently insulated and its been so warm we haven't needed any heat beyond a fire once or twice since we moved in. Would using a small fan-heater in the room be any help? I don't see us getting oil for the heating for at least another month...

Victor

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

Would using a small fan-heater in the room be any help?

Its a start, but not as good as a larger heat source and would be more expensive than oil or gas.

Note it must be heat + ventiliation.

Drop a note to the landlord today, so at least he can be up to speed for next week.

Ray Palmer

The injection molding can cause problems for the damp proof course. Essentially the property could have rising damp.
What way is the damp apperaing? Is it on the lower parts of the wall are the entire wall?

Look outside to see if the drain pipes are not broken. Water running down a wall will come through the wall.

Ventialtion is the normal casue but if the house feels damp and smells it may be a much more serious issue than what is normally seen. Damp carpets or flooring would indicate a major leak and may even contain sewage.#

LL needs to cover it.

Mould is normal for poor living standards but smell and damp feeling is normally way beyond such things.

odds_on

I've yet to sign any lease agreements so I could theoretically move out,

Although you haven't signed a lease, as you have paid a deposit/rent, you have a contract/lease. However, as you are only renting a room and sharing facilities such as kitchen, lounge etc, you do not come have the protection of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) 2004.

As regards the damp checkout the following two posts:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=73725249#post73725249

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=73725376#post73725376

Perhaps the Mods would consider making a sticky of these two posts?

kfish2oo2

Thanks for the help guys - I'm gonna try the ventilation tips and my housemate is bringing up a spare dehumidifier from home so hopefully that'll do the trick!

AMG86

You might ask the landlord to consider putting vents in the walls windows or installing single room heat recovery ventilation units. If he goes for the vents make sure they are closeable and that you sue them.