Cold and damp homes
Have you ever experienced cold and damp in your home? What steps do you take to make sure your home stays warm and dry?
The London Assembly Environment Committee is investigating cold and damp homes in London. Types of damp could include condensation or water that finds its way inside a home from the outside. This can be caused by bad weather, poorly installed or fitted insulation, a lack of ventilation, deteriorating houses or fuel poverty.
Have you ever experienced cold and damp in your home? What steps do you take to make sure your home stays warm and dry, especially during winter? What is preventing you from doing so?
The discussion ran from 22 November 2018 - 22 February 2019
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Community Member 6 years agoYes, we have both.
Single glazed, no insulation, inefficent boiler. Guess what, we don't own it.
Make landlords upgrade their properties.
Show full commentYes, we have both.
Single glazed, no insulation, inefficent boiler. Guess what, we don't own it.
Make landlords upgrade their properties.
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoWe need an alternative to the private rental sector, otherwise we just have to accept whatever the landlord is willing to rent to us.
Show full commentWe need an alternative to the private rental sector, otherwise we just have to accept whatever the landlord is willing to rent to us.
Show less of commentbumphere
Community Member 6 years agoSeems the choice is to be poor enough for social housing ,or rich enough for owning.
Show full commentSeems the choice is to be poor enough for social housing ,or rich enough for owning.
Show less of commentfdl_ldn
Community Member 6 years agoI live in an apartment complex near Elephant and Castle, where the single glazed windows provide little to no insulation, meaning condensation is terrible and the window frames mould quite easily. The apartment is freezing indoors and any...
Show full commentI live in an apartment complex near Elephant and Castle, where the single glazed windows provide little to no insulation, meaning condensation is terrible and the window frames mould quite easily. The apartment is freezing indoors and any form of heating just increases condensation without providing much extra warmth ... Does anyone else have similar issues ?
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoWe had the same problem when I was growing up. I'm told you can tape bubblewrap to the windows or drape clingfilm in front of them to create a pocket of air between the room and the window panes. However, the best option is secondary...
Show full commentWe had the same problem when I was growing up. I'm told you can tape bubblewrap to the windows or drape clingfilm in front of them to create a pocket of air between the room and the window panes. However, the best option is secondary double glazing.
My parents just put rags all over the window sills and let the mould grow!
Show less of commentElizabethS
Community Member 6 years agoHeating old homes such as the Victorian basement I rent, is costly. So I rarely switch on the heating and therefore it is cold. So people don't visit. Having to live in a cold home because if poverty is an important aspect of social...
Show full commentHeating old homes such as the Victorian basement I rent, is costly. So I rarely switch on the heating and therefore it is cold. So people don't visit. Having to live in a cold home because if poverty is an important aspect of social isolation as well as physical health. Isn't this self evident though?
Show less of commentAnonymous - account deleted
Community Member 6 years agoThe days of 'Rachmanism' have returned with a vengance. I used to live in a room in a house owned by Rachman in Nottinghill Gate back in the 60's and I thought we'd got rid of scum landords back then, however it now appears that there are...
Show full commentThe days of 'Rachmanism' have returned with a vengance. I used to live in a room in a house owned by Rachman in Nottinghill Gate back in the 60's and I thought we'd got rid of scum landords back then, however it now appears that there are plenty of people with houses charging exorbitant rents for pocket sized rooms that are full of damp and drafts and, guess what - people are expected to accept this.
Show less of commentcarolyn48
Community Member 6 years agoI agree I live next door to a privately owned 2 bed flat that has been let out to multiple tenants in order to get a high rent, the owner is a landlord of several properties. Before I knew my neighbours and my closest neighbour was forced...
Show full commentI agree I live next door to a privately owned 2 bed flat that has been let out to multiple tenants in order to get a high rent, the owner is a landlord of several properties. Before I knew my neighbours and my closest neighbour was forced out because the rental became too high, so I feel more lonely.
Show less of commentlivehere
Community Member 6 years agoI remember those Notting Hill houses owned by Rachman and his ilk. A friend lived in one such house. One loo for the whole tall house of many floors, green slime on it's walls from some leak or other. Filthy wooden floorboards, draughts...
Show full commentI remember those Notting Hill houses owned by Rachman and his ilk. A friend lived in one such house. One loo for the whole tall house of many floors, green slime on it's walls from some leak or other. Filthy wooden floorboards, draughts, damp, insects, dirty walls and ceilings. A family living in one room with several children, also sharing the one unbelievably filthy loo. Like a Dickensian slum. Low income students used to rent in these houses, as well as families and others.
Show less of commentKLewis
Community Member 6 years agoOh yes. I am a housing association tenant. My boiler used to break down regularly and I once went 6 weeks without heating or hot water, it’s usually 2 weeks. My upstairs radiators don’t work, the box room walls run water and there’s no care...
Show full commentOh yes. I am a housing association tenant. My boiler used to break down regularly and I once went 6 weeks without heating or hot water, it’s usually 2 weeks. My upstairs radiators don’t work, the box room walls run water and there’s no care or thought other than new build and income generation
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