This concerns an apartment, not a house. But I urgently need help!!!!
Hello, I moved into a new apartment with my children this year, which we had viewed last year while it was still occupied. Before we moved in, the apartment was empty for three months during winter, and when we arrived, we discovered mold in almost every room.
We have a ground-floor apartment, with the basement below, and every room has exterior walls (we occupy the entire floor). Our building must be at least 50 years old or older.
There is no insulation at all. When it’s windy, if I hold my long hair against the wall, it blows away.
I would like to insulate the apartment from the inside inexpensively since moving is currently not an option due to cost. I believe only the masonry walls, which were wallpapered, are present.
It is almost freezing in the apartment almost every day. We have extremely high humidity in most rooms, which causes further mold growth.
For example, if I leave the windows open for a long time in the evening during summer to create a draft, the bed sheets are damp again by the next morning.
The current situation is very stressful because I primarily want to avoid any health risks for the children.
If I don’t take the mattresses outside to air every other day, I fear they will develop mold.
I think the high humidity is caused by the constant warm and cold cycle, right?
Today it was about 15–16°C (59–61°F) outside, and inside the apartment it was at most 18°C (64°F). When it’s 30°C (86°F) outside during the day and the apartment is fully warmed up, it becomes cold immediately when the outside temperature drops (at night).
Could you please advise me on how to insulate from the inside without causing even more mold inside the apartment (for example, behind the insulation)? It should be as affordable as possible.
Hello, I moved into a new apartment with my children this year, which we had viewed last year while it was still occupied. Before we moved in, the apartment was empty for three months during winter, and when we arrived, we discovered mold in almost every room.
We have a ground-floor apartment, with the basement below, and every room has exterior walls (we occupy the entire floor). Our building must be at least 50 years old or older.
There is no insulation at all. When it’s windy, if I hold my long hair against the wall, it blows away.
I would like to insulate the apartment from the inside inexpensively since moving is currently not an option due to cost. I believe only the masonry walls, which were wallpapered, are present.
It is almost freezing in the apartment almost every day. We have extremely high humidity in most rooms, which causes further mold growth.
For example, if I leave the windows open for a long time in the evening during summer to create a draft, the bed sheets are damp again by the next morning.
The current situation is very stressful because I primarily want to avoid any health risks for the children.
If I don’t take the mattresses outside to air every other day, I fear they will develop mold.
I think the high humidity is caused by the constant warm and cold cycle, right?
Today it was about 15–16°C (59–61°F) outside, and inside the apartment it was at most 18°C (64°F). When it’s 30°C (86°F) outside during the day and the apartment is fully warmed up, it becomes cold immediately when the outside temperature drops (at night).
Could you please advise me on how to insulate from the inside without causing even more mold inside the apartment (for example, behind the insulation)? It should be as affordable as possible.
Have you told the landlords what’s going on when they keep showing up unannounced to check on their property? Or is the building listed as a historic site, and are they just waiting for it to become uninhabitable so they can demolish it?
They can stand at your door as long as they want, but if they haven’t arranged an appointment with you beforehand, you are not obliged to let them in or engage with them if you don’t have the time.
I wouldn’t stay a minute longer than necessary in a moldy apartment.
You can also remove an expensive kitchen and install it in a new place; once mold starts to grow, it loses its value.
> The current situation is very stressful because, first and foremost, I don’t want to expose the children to any dangers.
If you say there is already mold on the walls everywhere, then you are already doing that.
I would also recommend contacting a tenants’ rights organization and preparing to move.
They can stand at your door as long as they want, but if they haven’t arranged an appointment with you beforehand, you are not obliged to let them in or engage with them if you don’t have the time.
I wouldn’t stay a minute longer than necessary in a moldy apartment.
You can also remove an expensive kitchen and install it in a new place; once mold starts to grow, it loses its value.
> The current situation is very stressful because, first and foremost, I don’t want to expose the children to any dangers.
If you say there is already mold on the walls everywhere, then you are already doing that.
I would also recommend contacting a tenants’ rights organization and preparing to move.
B
Bauexperte15 Aug 2014 10:53Hello,
There is only one practical solution if you want to protect yourself and your children from this situation. Contact a tenant protection organization or a lawyer specialized in tenancy law, and at the same time, arrange to move into temporary accommodation.
Regards, Bauexperte
xenie31 schrieb:So why did you move in then? I clearly remember our difficult times and know what I’m talking about. If you hadn’t moved in, the situation wouldn’t have gotten worse; you would have just had a bit more hassle… even with support from authorities if necessary. Now the other party will likely argue, quite rightly, that you knew about the apartment’s condition before moving in.
Before we moved in, the apartment was empty for three months over the winter, and when we arrived, we had to find mold in basically every room.
xenie31 schrieb:It won’t be cheap because first the source of moisture must be identified. Internal insulation is always a last resort and not something you can handle yourself. Regardless of the circumstances at move-in, the landlords are responsible for ensuring the apartment is habitable and does not pose a health risk to its residents.
Could you please tell me how I can insulate from the inside without causing more mold later on in the apartment (e.g., behind the insulation)? It should be as inexpensive as possible.
xenie31 schrieb:That is correct – but it is also true that the landlords should have informed you about the condition and the expected issues, AND they are liable for making sure the apartment is livable.
I already spoke with a lawyer… She said the landlord is not obligated to insulate the apartment.
There is only one practical solution if you want to protect yourself and your children from this situation. Contact a tenant protection organization or a lawyer specialized in tenancy law, and at the same time, arrange to move into temporary accommodation.
Regards, Bauexperte
D
Doc.Schnaggls15 Aug 2014 11:42Please also note that such structural modifications must be approved by the landlord!
If in doubt, the landlord may require a full restoration and return to the original condition upon moving out!
If in doubt, the landlord may require a full restoration and return to the original condition upon moving out!
Why did we move in? Because we relocated to another city, and otherwise, we would have ended up on the street with our children and all our belongings. The landlord knows about this... So far, there are only small spots of mold... but I know that is already too much. We will probably have to move as soon as possible.
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