I have lived in my little house for seven years. In all that time I have never been late with my rent and I have looked after it as if it were my own property. The landlord owns this house and the one next door. They are very old and linked by a single brick wall. The other house has been empty for over seven years.
Soon after I moved in it became apparent that there was a rising damp problem. Not a huge issue and the landlord appeared to sort it out. Unfortunately he didn't do it properly and the rising damp returned. Also because next door was cold and our house was warm, damp started to draw through the wall. The agent came every six months and made a report to the landlord. There was also a problem with one corner of the children's bedroom where the wall met the roof. The landlord came a few times, said he was going to sort things but never did.
Last year we reported to the agent that we were concerned about the house next door as the windows were so rotten there was a danger that they might fall out onto the pavement below (we open straight onto the street). He sent in a builder who not only replaced the windows but discovered that the chimney had collapsed inside the property and water had been pouring in. We assumed that this was the reason for part of our damp issue and expected it to dry out. However things have gone from bad to worse. The damp situation has not improved. We have updated the agent on a regular basis regarding the situation and, although they have been supportive, they have been told by the landlord that he will deal with it.
Today he came with a dehumidifier and said that the issue was condensation!!!! Now I grew up in an old house and I know what condensation is like. I also know how to deal with it. I open windows and have air flowing through the house most days. I told him that there was no way it was condensation. Condensation doesn't rise up the wall and have salt forming on it. And that the new section of wet wall was so wet it indicated water ingress as did the problems upstairs. I also said that if he just kept the heating on low next door then the problem of damp drawing through the wall would sort itself out.
He wouldn't listen and insisted that it was condensation. He wanted to tell me how condensation is formed and got upset when I told him that I knew how it formed and that there was no way this was condensation. He got stroppy and said that if I wouldn't listen he wouldn't bother so I said he could leave the dehumidifier and we would try it for two or three months but the only result would be that my electric bill would go up and surely if he wanted to dry anywhere out it should be next door. We then took him outside to see where there were missing bricks. He reckoned he hadn't known about that but I told him that he did know because I'd told him ages ago when the agent told me during a house check and if the agent told me then it must have been on the form he gets after each check. I realised I was getting upset and I didn't want it to turn to a panic attack so I left him to talk to DH. Not long after DH came back in and said the landlord had gone off in a huff because I wouldn't listen to him.
I was very upset and phoned the agents. I apologised for crying and started to tell them what had happened but I became too upset so DH took over and was put through to the manager. The manager is going to phone the landlord and arrange for a builder to visit to assess the damp situation.
Now, of course, I'm in a panic in case the landlord takes his huffy one stage further and gives us notice. I love my little house. It's my safe place and the thought of having to move elsewhere terrifies me.
Anger management!!! Help needed.
