Two things this winter contributed to an increase in mould. Firstly, the winter was especially bitter and cold. Secondly, the cost-of-living crisis meant that people did what they could to reduce how much gas and electricity they use in a desperate bid to save money.

Mould exposure is potentially harmful to your tenants’ health.

How does mould happen?

In homes, mould forms in damp places where there is insufficient heat and air circulation. Mould spores are part and parcel of life, you can’t completely eliminate it. However, it does need to be managed as it creates and exacerbates medical problems.

However, you can control it by both improving circulation and sufficient heat in a room. It is worse in winter when cold and damp spreads, creating an environment for mould to spread.

Ways you can help your student tenants combat mould

Poor insulation is one major issue that you as a landlord can and should do something about. If it’s been a while since you had your insulation checked, it may be worth a revisit.

However, more often than not, it is occupant behaviour that creates these problems (showering, drying laundry, and boiling stuff on the hob). That’s something your student tenants can do something about, and you should help them to understand how they can help themselves.

It’s useful to have an information pack for your student tenants. They are likely to be living away from home for the first time ever and so they may not necessarily know the steps they can take:

•         After having a shower: open windows and use a window squeegee on the inside of the shower to get rid of excess moisture
•         Put on the overhead fan when boiling liquid on a hob (for example when making pasta)
•         Always dry laundry outside on dry days. This is harder in the winter when you may not go more than a few days without rain, so encourage them to use the airing cupboard
•         Ventilate as much as possible, as often as possible

When is the issue your responsibility?

The issue becomes your responsibility when despite all this, there is still a problem with mould. When this happens, it is likely a maintenance issue. Maybe there is a damp issue or leaks in the structure somewhere. Maybe there is an issue with the heating system.

However, you can help your student tenants to help you. If you encourage your student tenants to report any of these issues, you can keep on top of it and addresses issues before they become much bigger and potentially much more expensive and more difficult to deal with. However, it is always your responsibility to address.