Private rental guidance for tenants
If you are a tenant renting from a private landlord or managing agent, you may sometimes experience issues with the property you rent or with your landlord. The London Borough of Redbridge as the local housing authority may be able to assist you to resolve some of these issues.
What we can do:
- We can ensure that any service request complaint receives an acknowledgment within no more than ten days.
- Where an urgent property inspection is required we will undertake that inspection no more than 3-5 days from that assessment being made.
- Where a property inspection has been undertaken and Category 1 hazards are identified, your case will be prioritised and we will write to your landlord.
- Where reparatory or compliance works are required by your landlord, we will require no more than 28 days for the commencement of those works.
- Where a landlord fails to commence required works under informal notice. We will serve an Enforcement Notice requiring no more than 28 days for the commencement of those works, and no more than a further 28 days for completion.
- Where a landlord fails to comply with the requirements of an Enforcement Notice. The matter will be considered for litigation.
Some of the matters we can address are:
Advice on damp and mould
What is condensation?
Condensation forms when warm air, carrying moisture, meets a cold surface. Its common in home during the cold weather and can cause mould, mildew and damage. Managing it is crucial to prevent health risks and property damage.
Additionally, persistent condensation can damage paint, plaster, and even structural elements over time. It may also result in unpleasant odours and staining. Condensation on windows, if left unchecked, can cause rotting of wooden frames and sills.
Condensation or damp?
Rising damp and penetrating damp are two distinct moisture-related issues that can affect buildings. Rising damp occurs when groundwater is drawn upward through porous building materials, such as bricks or masonry, due to capillary action. This can result in visible damp patches on walls at lower levels.
- Lack of Damp-Proof Course (DPC): Older buildings, especially those constructed before the mid-20th century, may not have an effective damp-proof course, a barrier that prevents groundwater from rising through the walls.
- Deterioration of Existing DPC: In some cases, the existing DPC may have deteriorated over time, allowing moisture to rise through the building materials.
- High Groundwater Level: Buildings located in areas with a high groundwater table, or close to water sources, are more susceptible to rising damp.
- Poor Maintenance: Neglecting the maintenance of the building's foundation and walls can lead to cracks or damage in the DPC, facilitating the rise of damp..
- Leaking Roofs: Roof damage or poor maintenance can allow rainwater to penetrate through the roof covering and seep into the building.
- Cracked or Defective Masonry: Structural defects in the building's walls, such as cracks in the bricks or mortar joints, can provide pathways for rainwater to enter.
- Faulty Gutters and Downpipes: Clogged or damaged guttering systems can lead to overflowing rainwater, which then runs down the building's walls and penetrates through them.
- Inadequate Wall Sealing: Incomplete or deteriorating wall seals, such as caulking or weather stripping, can allow water to infiltrate the building during heavy rain.
- Poor Window and Door Seals: Ineffective seals around windows and doors can permit rainwater to enter the building during storms.
In contrast, penetrating damp is caused by water infiltrating through external walls or roofs, often due to structural issues or leaks. It typically manifests as damp patches near areas where water is entering. Addressing rising damp typically involves installing or repairing a damp-proof course and addressing any contributing factors, such as drainage and landscaping issues.
Tenants' information on how to avoid condensation
- Ventilation: Keep windows open, when possible, to allow fresh air circulation.
- Use Extractor Fans: Utilize exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to remove excess moisture.
- Don't Block Vents: Ensure that air vents are not obstructed by furniture or other items.
- Control Heating: Keep your living space consistently and adequately heated.
- Windows: Insure these are intact and not allowing draft through, wiping down excess condensation to avoid seeping into walls.
- Use Curtains Correctly: Open curtains during the day to let in sunlight and close them at night.
- Regular Cleaning: Clean and wipe surfaces prone to condensation regularly.
- Dehumidifiers: Use a portable dehumidifier if moisture levels are consistently high.
- Report Leaks: Notify your landlord immediately if you discover any leaks or plumbing issues.
- Check for Damp: Keep an eye out for signs of damp or mould and report them promptly.
- Furniture Placement: Avoid placing furniture right up against walls, as it can restrict airflow.
- Wardrobe Ventilation: Leave space inside closets/wardrobes to allow for air circulation.
- Use Lids: Cover pots and pans when cooking to minimize steam release into the air.
- Dry Clothes Outdoors: If possible, hang wet laundry outside or use a well-ventilated dryer.
- Check Insulation and ventilation: Speak with your landlord about insulation improvements which could help with making your home more comfortable and less likely to be cold preventing condensation, mould and mildew problems .
Landlord information on how to avoid condensation
- Educate Tenants: Provide information on how to prevent condensation and its associated problems.
- Ventilation: Ensure that properties have adequate ventilation systems in bathrooms and kitchens.
- Heating: Maintain and service heating systems to keep the property consistently warm.
- Insulation: Invest in good insulation to reduce temperature variations in the property.
- Weather Stripping: Install proper seals on doors and windows to prevent drafts.
- Double-Glazed Windows: Consider installing double-glazed or insulated windows in the property.
- Regular Inspections: Conduct routine property inspections to identify and address issues promptly.
- Address Leaks: Quickly fix any leaks or plumbing problems to prevent moisture build-up.
- Moisture-Resistant Paint: Use moisture-resistant paint in areas prone to condensation, like bathrooms.
- Dehumidifiers: Consider providing dehumidifiers for properties with chronic humidity problems.
- Proper Roofing: Ensure the roof is in good condition to prevent leaks and water ingress.
- Gutters and Drainage: Maintain gutters and drainage systems to prevent water pooling.
- Educate on Furniture Placement: Advise tenants to avoid blocking air vents and placing furniture against walls.
- Wardrobe Ventilation: Encourage tenants to leave space inside closets and wardrobes for air circulation.
- Regular Communication: Keep an open line of communication with tenants to address concerns and provide solutions.
By taking these proactive measures as a landlord, you can help create a more comfortable and condensation-free living environment for your tenants, reducing the likelihood of related issues like mould and dampness.
Adequate heating in your home
- Make sure your home is heated to a temperature of at least 21° C in the sitting room and 18° C in all other rooms.
- There are several organisations that can provide help and advice to ensure that your home has adequate heating and insulation to meet your needs.
- You may think that your home needs better heating and insulation, but you aren't sure who can help or how you can afford it. Maybe you want to know if you can get help with paying your fuel bills, or you want to make a complaint about your energy supplier. Whatever your need is, there are numerous organisations and schemes in place to help you.
Sometimes there are grants available to improve heating and insulation in tenanted properties. If a grant were available your landlord would have to give permission for work to be carried out.
Shelter provides further advice on damp and mould in rented properties.
Further information
If you are a private sector tenant who, after following the advice contained here is still suffering from severe condensation, it is recommended that you discuss the situation with your landlord. If your landlord is unwilling to help please contact:
Housing Standards Service
London Borough of Redbridge
2nd Floor, Lynton House, 255-259 High Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1NY
Email: housing.standards@redbridge.gov.uk
Report Online
What we can’t do:
- Where a complaint relating to disrepair is received, we cannot intervene unless we have evidence that the matter has first been brought to the attention of the landlord, and that no efforts at reparation have been made.
- Where a tenant complains about issues of disrepair, The Housing Standards service cannot make arrangement for alternative accommodation.
- The role of the Housing standards service is to ensure that all private rental accommodation is compliant with minimum standards and is free from category 1 hazards. Our role is not to precipitate homelessness.
- We cannot intervene in landlord tenant disputes which do not relate to disrepair of failure by a landlord to comply with property licensing or conditions relating to a property licence
- Matters relating to anti-social behaviour (ASB) is dealt with by the Community Protection Team/or the Police. Where ASB relates to a licensed property the Housing Standards Team will work jointly with the Community Protection Team/or Police to assit in resolving issues.
- Matters relating to the threat of illegal eviction is addressed by the Councils Housing Needs Service.
Which of the following does your dispute relate to:
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Property Licensing
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Emergency Disrepair
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Harassment & Eviction
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Private sector landlords in most parts of the London Borough of Redbridge should hold a landlord property licence in order to operate a private rental dwelling. All Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in
Redbridge should be licensed, apply for a licence.
The landlord licensing scheme allows the local authority to ensure all private rentals are compliant with the standards for safe and suitable living accommodation, required the Housing Act 2004.
You should check that your landlord holds a suitable property licence for either a single family dwelling or a house in multiple occupation.
If you believe your landlord is operating with a licence you should contact our property licensing team
prslicensing@redbridge.gov.uk
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Gas leak
Report a gas leak on the National Gas Emergency Line: 0800 111 999.
Electricity power cut
If your electricity is cut off, you should phone your electricity supplier
If you do not know who your supplier is, visit the UK Power Networks website and select Who is my supplier?
Water problems
If your water is cut off, you should phone Thames Water on 0845 9200 800
You should report any leaks to your landlord.
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To regain possession of their property a landlord must obtain a Possession Order from the local County Court. Before they can do this they must first serve you with a section 21 notice of the Housing Act 1988. This requires that you be given at least two months’ Notice before possession proceedings can be commenced.
If you are experiencing harassment or believe your landlord is trying to evict you illegally you can contact our Housing Advice centre at Housing.Advice@redbridge.gov.uk
Advice also available from:
(contact details below)
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Disrepair
If you are experiencing problems relating to disrepair, or where you believe the property you rent fails to comply with minimum standards, there are steps you can take to resolve the issue. The following provides a step by step guide on how you can achieve a resolution or otherwise how the Councils Housing Standards team will remediate by either informal intervention or where necessary by enforcement action.
Step 1
You should write to your landlord or managing agent to explain the problems that exist and allow them a reasonable period of time (minimum 14 days) to remedy these problems. You must keep a copy of any letters or emails that you send to or receive from your landlord or managing agent.
If you are not satisfied with the response from your landlord or managing agent, you should ask if they have a formal complaints procedure. If they do, we would expect you to follow that procedure before we get involved on your behalf.
Step 2
If you are unable to resolve the problem at Step 1, you should contact the Housing Standards Team on Telephone number 0208 708 5000, or e-mail us at: Housing.Standards@redbridge.gov.uk We will need to see a copy of the correspondence you have sent to your landlord or managing agent, together with their response (if any).
We will then write to your landlord or managing agent to explain that a complaint has been received. We will ask them to respond to us within 14 days to explain the steps that they intend to take to resolve the issues complained of.
Step 3
If your landlord or managing agent fails to respond and the issues complained of persist, it is important that you let us know. We will then arrange a convenient time for a Housing Enforcement Officer to visit your property and carry out an inspection. Depending on their findings, we will then decide whether any formal enforcement action is required.
Where it becomes necessary for the Housing standards team to intervene due to a lack of cooperation from your landlord, we will take the following action.
Step 4
Following a property survey inspection, if we identify hazards which present a serious risk to your safety or that of your family, we will contact your landlord or managing agent. We will confirm our findings and detail the remedial action they must take to rectify the situation.
We will allow a period of 28 days for the commencement of any required reparatory works and a further 28 days for their completion.
The action we take at this stage will be proportionate to the disrepair identified, allowing your landlord a reasonable opportunity to undertake the repairs required. However, we will also advise your landlord of the legal requirement to comply and the risk of a financial penalty or prosecution for non-compliance.
Step 5
If following the period detailed in step 4, your landlord has not addressed the disrepair, you must contact the Housing Standards officer dealing with your service request.
The matter will now be dealt with formally with the service of an Enforcement Notice. This will again allow your landlord a period of 28 days to commence reparatory works and a further 28 days for their completion. However, failure to comply at this stage may result in the issuing of a financial penalty or prosecution in a Magistrates Court.
Emergency intervention
Where an issue of disrepair relates to a recent fire, structural collapse or other hazard that present an imminent or significant risk of serious injury. The Housing Standards team will aim to arrange for a property inspection within 24 hours of receiving your referral.
Issues requiring this response include the following:
- Ceiling collapse with the risk of further structural collapse
- Damage by fire
- Serious electrical hazards
Co-operation With Your Landlord and Rent Payment
Whilst any complaint against your landlord is being investigated, It is important that you do not withhold your rent. This may result in your landlord or managing agent applying for possession of the property. If successful you may then be considered as intentionally homeless. You may not then be eligible for rehousing assistance from the Council. You must also cooperate with your landlord and allow reasonable access for any works to be carried out to remedy the issues that you have raised. If you do not we will no longer be able to support your request for our assistance.
Other Matters That May Involve the Authorities Intervention and Who to Contact
If you are a Council tenant and the matter relates specifically to disrepair, you should contact Housing Management at the Orchard Housing Office at Housing.Complaints@redbridge.gov.uk or make telephone contact with the Duty Officer on 0208 708 7652 / 7732 / 8360.
If the matter relates to anti-social behaviour, for example a neighbour dispute, noise nuisance or fly tipping you should contact the Community Protection, Anti-Social Behaviour at gm_community.safetyasbteam@redbridge.gov.uk
If the new service request relates specifically to Planning Enforcement issues, for example unauthorised building works or conversion you should contact Planning Enforcement at Planning.Enforcement@redbridge.gov.uk
More advice on problems with your landlord, managing agent or social housing circumstances can be found on the following organisations websites:
Justice for Tenants
www.justicefortenants.org/contact-us
info@justicefortenants.org
Citizens Advice Bureau
Shelter
National Campaign for Homeless People Limited
Ramfel
Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and London
Tenant information pack
The tenant information pack is a great source of information, if you are already renting or are thinking about renting privately. There is useful content about how to rent, tenant rights and responsibilities and what to do if you experience any problems.
Advisory notice
Please note that an earlier web version and postal copy of the tenant information pack contained an error which stated that £50 could be charged for tenant referencing. This information was incorrect. Please be advised that no fees can be charged to tenants under the tenant fee ban except £50 to vary an existing tenancy. The inaccurate content has now been removed.
If you have already received a copy in the post you will be sent the revised version.
We apologise for any inconvenience.
Letter templates
The Shelter website has useful template letters that you can use to report repairs to your landlord. If you have not heard from your landlord within 10 working days, we would recommend you send your landlord a reminder letter.
Landlords should normally fix serious hazards such as a broken boiler or an electricity failure within 1 to 3 working days, but less serious hazards such as a dripping tap or broken kitchen units can be repaired over a longer timescale.
Advice on managing your money
Information, advice and resources to access further help
Landlord Licensing in Redbridge
Most rented properties in Redbridge require the landlord to obtain a licence. Find out more about property licensing in Redbridge.
Understanding the possession action process:
A guide for private residential tenants in England and Wales. Updated 7 April 2021 (GOV.UK)
Private tenant information
