Hello, We're in a new build unit on the ground floor with all sliding doors (no normal windows, each room has a sliding door instead). There are no fly screens and no bolts on the doors, so they cannot lock with a key. We're finding black mould is building up on the silicone around the doors (damp sydney winter!). I'm removing it every few days, but it keeps coming back. We run the heat pretty often but not often enough to keep it at bay. I'd like to keep the doors open more for ventilation, but without the fly screens we're getting pests coming in (LARGE spiders, bees, flies) and it's unsafe for burglars too since we're on the ground floor. We've asked for fly screens and sliding door bolts so we can open and leave them open safely, which should help with the mould, but they keep refusing. Is this an "extravagant" request???
Bolting doors may pose a fire hazard in a strata building. Window coverings like screens may also need strata approval (and be refused if the imapcty the appearance externally) Mould is generally a function of humidity. If you run a heater and dont allow fresh air to circulate water vapour will accumulate and contribute to mould development. A sliding door bolt is probably a reasonable request but you may need to pay this and have them installed by a suitably approved person if approved and also leave keys (master key to door?) and leave it in situ on vacating. Same with screens. There is an alternative to a bolt - Can you buy a suitably cut length of steel and lay this in the track to limit the door being opended more than a few inches ? Just be aware any budding burglar may be able to lift the door up and remove it of course.
