Half of renters are living in cold, damp homes – Citizens Advice

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 24/07/2024 - 12:48
Retaliatory eviction is already banned, is it enforced, so what difference will new rules make to THAT issue?

Reply to the comment left by Chris @ Possession Friend at 25/07/2024 - 16:54
Hi Chris, I am not sure if your post supports or opposes my argument. As I understand it, Gallup and other political polls often use a sample size of 1000.

My concern is that if landlords who are non-experts in statistics trespass on statisticians' territory we can look (a) foolish and (b) in cases such as this, uncaring.

It is obvious that many tenants are having a very bad time. The fact that the CAB and Shelter over-state their case and are not fair to landlords does not negate the problems tenants face.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 25/07/2024 - 17:15What it does do is remove focus from those tenants with serious problems that need support.
When it comes to ‘damp’ and ‘mould’ there is such a spectrum from life threatening conditions to the spurious and inconsequential. The LAs I used to deal with recognised that dampness had relevance to the type and age of the property - and were very aware of how condensation issues (the conditions needed for mould formation) were influenced by how the property was used - a factor not under the direct control of the landlord.
Whilst any damp and mould does involve the landlord in its resolution - that is NOT the same as the issue being the sole responsibility of the landlord or due to a defect with the property.
Quite simply, if you let Relative Humidity rise above 60% for lengthy periods you will have condensation and then mould. If the property is capable of being lived in by tenants acting in a reasonable ‘tenant like manner’ (their obligation) without those conditions arising them I would suggest that , after a landlord has advised on actions to be taken, that is down to the tenant.
How is including that in sensationalist reporting helping those whose property is incapable of being lived in without serious health damaging mould and need the help of CAB in getting a resolution?
Whether it’s a back street terrace in Bolton or Buckingham Palace, if you push items of furniture right up against an external wall you will get condensation and mould behind. Similarly if you never open your curtains from one months end to the next you will end up with black mould on the frames, panes, surrounds and even the curtains as you have a cold spot with no air circulation.
Whose responsibility is it to open the curtains?

That is my absolute frustration with this type of reporting and is not helped by any technical understanding being either dumbed down or removed altogether in this new world where ‘my truth’ trumps simple fact.

Case and point

https://www.property118.com/how-should-landlords-handle-damp-and-mould-issues/

Landlords are in a corner if it comes to damp and mould. The guidance is vague and completely lacking.

Citizens advice should change their name because if I went to see them to ask for advice about a a bad tenant they would not give me advice.

I am also a citizen but I am discriminated against because I am not a tenant.
With this level of bias how can we take them seriously?

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 25/07/2024 - 17:15I am not an expert in statistical analysis either Ian, but I do know there are stringent principles that have to be followed to claim statistical significance.
I did try and query with EHS, how they arrived at their claim of ' a quarter of rented property have Cat 1 hazards. '
I was taken down a rabbit hole by the boffs at EHS, where an expert in statistics was needed.
What I'm saying is that anyone's figures are open to question, as to methodology etc.
Difference between Landlord and tenant groups, is that landlords will acknowledge that there are a small number of 'bad actors' ( much smaller than the number of Bad tenants ! - whereas Tenant groups won't ever acknowledge such a thing as a bad tenant.
C.A. are standing up for Tenants, and what Landlords on this forum usually do, is to defend and stand up for landlords. and respond appropriately to criticism ( and question any evidence claimed )

Reply to the comment left by Chris @ Possession Friend at 26/07/2024 - 12:04
What troubles me about all of this is that while we would expect C.A., Shelter etc to stand up for tenants and Property118 to do likewise for landlords, comprehending that nearly 50% of privately rented properties are cold, damp and mouldy needs to be proven for the statement to have any validity. One has to suspect that the survey was biased and skewed to achieve that result.
I for one, have difficulty believing it, particularly when you learn that another survey said 80% of tenants were happy with their homes!

Reply to the comment left by Martin Thomas at 26/07/2024 - 13:38
Absolutely Martin, and the EHS survey far larger by an organisation not solely concerned with one side of the equation.

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 24/07/2024 - 10:03
I am always saying this. Unfortunately it doesn't suit the media to have stats showing 99% of owner occupiers do not live in mouldy conditions. Might be a worthwhile survey to start.

After many years letting and many different tenants I do not recognise any pattern of 50% hazardous damp and mould. My sample size is too small to be statistically significant and I suspect so is CAB data if they are claiming to cover all the permutations with just 1000 data.

They don't cover the topic with balance as to the various responsibilities inherent and explicit in a best practice tenancy agreement so I'm very suspicious of their presentation and agenda.

Did this improve the situation in any meaningful way or was it just a pile on aka confirmation bias.

CAB reputational damage was achieved, down to the Sh#ter level, who house nobody.

I won't support such pointless organisations or any business that supports them. There must be consequences for such behaviour.