Mouldy walls and re-painting

When my current tenant moved into IP, there was absolutely no mould in any room.

Fast forward 2 years, they are vacating the property and there is mould everywhere including walls and ceilings. They have been asked to clean the mould but not sure how much clear walls/ceiling will be after they vacate.

If fresh paint needs to be applied, can I deduct cost from their bond?

 

You will need to deal with the mould separately before repainting or else it will become an ongoing nightmare. Most probably due to permanently shut windows, excess heating and non-vented drier.

 

I removed all mould from a bedroom ceiling by just using some home brand mould remover I bought from Woollies.

After a year or so it started to come back in spots and I just give it a quick once over.

Use a mop and bucket, much quicker and easier on the lower back. You’d be surprised how good the result is - no need to repaint.

 

Use vinegar as recommended by Choice
How to get rid of mould | CHOICE

Choice did an investigation showing that mould remover just bleaches the mould rather than killing it.

Vinegar, as described by Choice, is best

 

Clean properly then if need be re-paint with mould-resistance additive in the paint etc.

Every now and then I have tenants try and pull this crap. Mould Men (local business are great re: the report they provide with evidence etc for ascertaining the cause and also to remedy if you need)

 

The attachment is pretty small & hard to read - did she swipe left or swipe right?

 

Just had to deal with this in an apartment, if you don't get rid of the mould properly it will come back and peel off, or bubble the paint you've put over it. Kill with vinegar and and sand off after its dry. Use a really good stain blocker primer that handles mould and then a mould resistant paint - Dulux do a good one off the shelf.

 

Oil isnt wise if you plan to repaint. Oil stops paint adhesion. Its why you cant paint most silicones.

 

Clove oil is volatile and evaporates without leaving a residue.

 

Honestly this report is not worth the paper it would be printed on
- cannot be evidenced that the tenant did not ventilate ("at the time we inspected the windows were closed" -seriously?)
- AC filter not maintained is not good, but the filter doesn't add or remove moisture in the air
- high humidity reading when they did the inspection is anecdotal.

If you want to avoid mould in your property, install a continuous ventilation system / with humidity sensor, and proper air intakes. If they are obstructed by the tenant (PM can check during routine inspections) you can get them to pay for repairs.

 

In 10 years of PM I've never come across such a system?

Since we can't ask the mould why it decided to grow, we use the tools we have available to us to identify the most likely cause of growth. If there is no history of mould and no sources of moisture where it shouldn't be, the logical conclusion is that tenants are not properly ventilating the affected area.