Letting out a circa 1852 stone-built house

[Sandsni]

Hi, This is my first time posting. My parents own and let out an old house (I live in the adjoining semi, my grandparents' old house). I understand the nature of old houses so I know a little bit of extra care goes a long way, but we seem to run into a lot of problems trying to explain to tenants that stone built houses sometimes behave slightly differently than modern builds. There have been some modernisations carried out over the past 40 years, such as central heating and double glazing, but tenants seem to think that an hour of central heating a day should be enough and then complain of damp inside the house. Even the Letting Agent doesn't understand and treats us as if we know nothing (this year is the first time we've used a letting agent because we thought it might help lol). Does anyone have experience of letting out an old house to tenants and can you offer any advice on how we can make sure tenants understand what we are trying to tell them (available books, resources etc.)? Thanks

 

[madworthy]

I'm afraid that tenants do not understand. The last two lots of tenants I had insist on keeping all windows shut and often curtains closed. Also having the internal doors shut, while hanging damp laundry around the house. Then only using the heating a couple of hours a day. Subsequently they complain about condensation and damp. I had one lot even trying to get Environmental Health on to me, fortunately they could see the house was well maintained and looked after.

Tenants will only understand an old house if they buy one in the future. In general they expect them to be like modern builds and none of the peculiarities we get used to when they are our homes. I have now given up with "young professionals" otherwise known as 20 some-things who have not got a clue what it takes to maintain a house.

Sorry to be a pessimist, but I will say at least my agents understood the problem, and had guides on how the tenants should ventilate the house.

 

[tobydog]

A large proportion of builders don't even know how old houses work so the chances of disinterested tenants caring is even more remote. To be fair, in my late teens and early twenties, I lived in my parents listed house. The front was medieval with a great timber frame, the middle Georgian, and the back Edwardian. Did I care about it, not a chance. I moaned when the gap under my door grew in the winter to the point it jammed and I moaned about the floors being so wonky I couldn't play my records. I only learned to appreciate and care about our current 1640's thatched and timbered framed house once I recognised I was actually its guardian and not just its temporary owner.

 

[Moo]

Tenants will only understand an old house if they buy one in the future.

That's a very optimistic generalisation, I'm afraid.
If it were true, the Damp & Timber Treatment firms would have gone out of business decades ago.
Last week I got a structural survey done on the little house we're buying in London. Although he recommended several sensible remedies for the damp problems, the surveyor still advised getting in a Specialist to give it the once-over. So I did, and won't bore you with the utterly predictable diagnosis and 'cure'.
But what I did find interesting was the price - £4,000+

 

[Sandsni]

Thanks for the responses. It's nice to know we're not alone, even if there isn't an easy "10-step guide to letting an old house". I might consider compiling a folder for future tenants with all the relevant stuff about condensation etc., but whether they would read it is another matter. We're lucky in that my dad's 2nd cousin is a builder and joiner and does understand old houses since he lives in one himself - he's also one of the good guys who doesn't create a job for himself where none is actually required.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

But what I did find interesting was the price - £4,000+

:shock: :shock: The only way to view that expense is to hope that it will save you any nasty surprises at a later date. Better the devil you know!

 

[Moo]

Ah, but once we've seen to things like the drainage in the bay's roof, lowering the ground levels all round the back extension, replaced the cement fillets with proper lead flashing, got the back roof drainage directed into a proper drain rather than an overflowing water-butt (honestly!!) and cured the leaky connections to the washing-machine the house will dry out of its own accord.


(The surveyor who did the full structural on our present house detected damp in the back wall and recommended having an injected damp course. We dug up the concrete in the back yard, levelled it so that it no longer sloped towards the house, put down flags with wide gaps, and installed a gulley that connected to the main drain. The damp problem disappeared surprisingly quickly.)

 

[agbagb]

It's not just a problem with period properties. I've had problems with tenants in 1930 and 1980's properties. After after explaining about condensation and them denying that they dry clothes on radiators (the ones I can see are just airing) and of course they put the tumble dryer hose out and switch the fan on whilst cooking, here's a tip :

Explain the simple cure - tell them that the house needs better ventillation to suit there lifestyle, show them where you will put the new vents to allow a better air flow, humidistat controlled fans etc.. Explain it will be a bit draughtier and cost more to heat but it will cure the damp. I've found this approach has a good effect.

If it does not do the trick then you need to protect the house so start making some draughts.