Over half of students are dealing with mould or damp in their homes, according to Students Organising for Sustainability UK, and with a variety of health issues caused by living with mould. Many students that Parklife has spoken to report having to deal with mould growing on walls and window ledges in their homes and aren’t informed on what mould is, how it happens, and how to prevent it.
Mould is caused by excess moisture, which may be caused by leaking pipes, rain water, or condensation, and things like showering, cooking, drying clothes indoors, and simply breathing can all contribute to a build up of moisture. Heating your home, keeping kitchen and bathroom doors shut, and using dehumidifiers can all decrease the moisture around your home and therefore help prevent mould from growing.
Due to the cost of living crisis, students are trying to keep their bills low, and are holding out on heating their homes. Using central heating reduces the cooling of moisture in the air, and helps to prevent condensation, reducing the risk of mould, but with more students being forced to switch it off, the mould is becoming too much to cope with. ‘I don’t want to turn the heating on too much because of the bills, so it’s a bad cycle to get into’ says University of Gloucestershire student Sienna Grant. More students are resorting to indoor clothes airers over winter rather than using tumble dryers in order to reduce energy bills, this can increase moisture in the home and contribute to the growth of mould. In short, the cost of living crisis is putting the health and quality of life of students and low income people across the country at risk.
Products such as dehumidifiers, are often used as a solution to the issue, however they are often not as effective as central heating. ‘It’s really annoying, we have dehumidifiers but they don’t really do anything,’ claims University of Gloucestershire student Anna Marsh. Increasing ventilation is often advised for preventing mould, and while ensuring furniture is not touching walls in mould-prone areas can be helpful, opening windows throughout the house is simply not plausible long term, especially during the cold winters.
Mould is not harmless, inhaling or touching mould spores can cause a hayfever-like allergic reaction, causing sneezing, coughs, rashes, red eyes, and runny noses. Long term, people exposed to mould spores over an extended period of time may experience migraines, random muscle cramps, and exhaustion, as well as respiratory illnesses. It is important to clean mould when you see it, usually with a mould remover spray or a diluted bleach solution. When cleaning mould it is important to take the right precautions, like rubber gloves to protect your hands from the chemicals, and ensure you never mix cleaning products together.
Landlords may be able to support their tenants that are struggling to deal with their mould issues, though are not always as helpful as they should be. University of Gloucestershire student Jemima Wittich told us ‘I reported mould growing in the corner of my room to my landlord in November last year. It was still there when I moved out in June. I brought it up several times but I was just told ‘we’ll get round to it’’. The law states that landlords do not have to deal with mould unless it causes structural issues, thought it is always helpful to reach out to your landlord if you find mould, as they may be willing to offer help, and there is record of the reports should the issue become more severe.
The University of Gloucestershire has a housing support email address for students struggling with maintenance issues in their homes, and in a statement to Parklife said “If a student contacts us regarding, condensation, damp or mould issues in their property, firstly they would be advised to put this in writing to their landlord, along with images of the issues… We will happily support students while dealing with any of these issues with their landlord, whether registered with the landlord or not,”. Citizens Advice has a variety of relevant information ranging from understanding which repairs are your landlord’s responsibility to heating your home during the cost of living crisis
