Managing your tenancy

If you want your tenancy to be successful it is important that you take care of the property, don’t break the conditions of the tenancy and that you are a good neighbour.

Damp is a common problem that can be caused by condensation or structural faults.

If there is condensation on windows, puddles on your windowsills or mould or even drops of water on the walls this could be caused by condensation rather than a structural fault.

If you think dampness is being caused by condensation you should:

• Keep all the rooms in the house warm and well ventilated
• Cover pans, open kitchen windows and use an extractor fan if one is fitted when you cook
• Close the bathroom door during and after bathing and open the window to allow the steam to out
• If possible dry clothes outside or use a tumble dryer.
• If you must dry clothes indoors use a clothes airer. Do not dry clothes on a radiator.
• Do not cover air vents or disconnect automatic extractor fans.
• Use extractor fans if they are provided and let the landlord know if they are broken or damaged
• Leave space between furniture and walls to allow air to circulate

If you follow these steps and the dampness doesn’t improve then you should ask your landlord to increase the insulation in the property or take other action to fix the problem.

You are also responsible to report any other repairs in the property.  Sometimes people worry about reporting repairs thinking the landlord wont address the problem or blame them, but not reporting repairs can mean that the problem gets worse.  As well as you living in a property in poor condition the landlord could face a larger bill to put the matter right when they do discover the problem.

If your landlord won’t not address ant repairs after you have reported them, or you want advice, contact Public Protection and Neighbourhoods online.

Most Tenancy Agreements have a clause that states you must not sublet or you must get permission from the landlord before subletting the property.

If you landlord refuses permission or you sublet without asking permission you are at risk of losing your home.  Your landlord could also give you a poor reference which may affect your chances of renting another property.

If your landlord agrees that you can sublet the property they will still expect you to pay the rent directly to them.  They may also expect you to manage repairs and access for inspections.  You will be responsible for the tenancy and the behaviour of any sub tenant.

If you rent a property that is rented from a landlord by another tenant and you pay your rent to that tenant you are probably a subtenant.  If you are thinking about renting a property from another tenant you should check that the landlord has given permission for the sublet.

If you think you may have this type of tenancy and have a problem you should contact the Private Rented Service Newcastle  by emailing privaterentedservice@newcastle.gov.uk or report problems online.