The mould in my student home:
How an update of the law could help improve student quality of life.
A recent change in law means that tenants will now be able to sue private landlords who are not fixing important issues, making the property unfit for living. This could drastically improve the quality of life for future students, as mould and damp is typically something young renters put up with.
The 1985 Landlord and Tenant Act was recently updated with the new extended Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act. Tenants who begin a contract after March 20, which lasts less than seven years, are now able to sue their landlords if they are not maintaining 29 key areas.
Previous legislation did not include damp and mould which allowed it to be overlooked.
“There is definitely that perception that life as a student is grungy and dirty and means you have rubbish accommodation. Actually, legally landlords have the same obligations for students as they would with anyone else and you shouldn’t put up with poor quality housing.”
Sheffield has a combined total of around 59,600 students attending either Sheffield Hallam or the University of Sheffield, with many staying in the city.
Below are some student renters in the city still suffering with mould in their homes.
Nick Cooper, 21, a final year student at Sheffield Hallam University, was fed up with the mould growing on every floor of his home and took matters into his own hands.
He now sleeps in his girlfriend’s room every night as he feels that his room is now uninhabitable. He explained that friends who have stayed over in there have complained about breathing issues and itchy eyes.
Here is Nick showing us around his home.
Nick Cooper- The Mould In My Home
Nick Cooper- The Mould In My Home
“I had to talk to my Dad because he is the guarantor and get him involved before they started talking to me like I was an actual adult.”
He and his housemates had an email exchange with the property manager for another few months before Nick decided to get the council involved. A housing officer visited the home and found additional issues such as insufficient fire alarms, windows and locks. A letter was then sent to Blundells, who immediately began to take action.
A building contractor came to assess how much work needed to be done. Nick believes that one of the reasons they may have been hesitant to do any of the necessary work was because they were trying to sell the property.
Recently, Nick and his housemates have been compensated with half-price rent but have had to continue to live with the mould and other issues. No repairs have been carried out since the previous attempt to fix the roof.
He said he felt he had been taken advantage of as a student. “I do believe this new law will stop landlords from getting away with half the stuff they can do now,” he added.
Shelter, a charity seeking to end bad housing, praised the new bill and said: “It will not only directly help those tenants who take their landlords to court, but will help to raise conditions generally, through the broader positive impact on landlord education and awareness of their responsibilities and the risk of being sued.”
Beren Maddison, The University of Sheffield’s Student’s Union Welfare Officer, explained how students are usually not well informed of the landlord’s obligations and their own options as it is often their first-time renting.
“Knowing your rights as a tenant is one of the most important things about living in the rented sector.”
Mould is more often a problem in conventional student areas such as Crookesmoor and Broomhill rather than the purpose-built tower blocks. The tenant is only at fault in extreme cases of condensation, but it is important to take action to prevent build up as it can seriously affect your health.
“Usually if the landlord is going along the lines of saying you haven’t been using the extractor fans properly or you’ve not put the heating on enough, it might seem a bit daunting, but if you go to your Students Union Advice Centre or you seek some kind of legal representation they will usually back down on that.”
Beren explained how in Sheffield there a lot of pressure for students to find a house for the following academic year as soon as possible, even as early as January.
“You don’t have to sign; the pressure is largely fake. Be in power to ask questions and make demands when it comes to repair work and other obligations.”
There are two housing fairs at The University of Sheffield in November and February. The Student Advice Centre can also give independent advice, help settle disputes and even act as legal representation in higher-level cases. Students are also advised to choose properties that are labelled as “Snug” approved by the City Council or endorsed by the university property shop “Smartmove”.
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