Over the past year or so it has been raining more often and more heavily in Melbourne. This consistent weather pattern has led to more residential Renters throughout the city reporting increased instances of mould and rising damp in their homes.
Taking prompt action to address and repair mould and damp in Melbourne apartments and houses is a critical issue for Rental Providers.
Unless they move quickly to fix the rising damp, they could lose their Renters and rental income. Even worse, Rental Providers expose themselves to litigation and hefty compensation payouts if they fail to act on urgent repairs.
“For a Rental Provider, mould and rising damp are defined as an ‘urgent repair’,” says Nelson Alexander’s Head of Property Management Martin Sizer.
“The Renter has rights for any urgent repair. These repairs must be actioned immediately under Victoria’s Residential Tenancies Act.
“Properly managing mould and rising damp issues is an important reason why a property owner should use a skilled property manager to manage their property.”
Just-released figures from the Bureau of Meteorology show that 2022 was wetter and warmer than average for Australia overall.
The national mean temperature was 0.50°C warmer than the 1961–1990 average, making 2022 the equal 22nd warmest year on record since national temperature records began in 1910.
According to the bureau, national rainfall was 25 per cent above the 1961–1990 annual average, making 2022 the ninth-wettest year on record.
Rainfall was also very much above average for the south-eastern quarter of the mainland, where persistent rain saw significant flooding affecting large areas multiple times during the year.
Victoria overall had 872.70 mm rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 31.6 per cent above average.
It was the fifth-wettest year on record and the state's highest rainfall since 1974.
The surge in wet weather events comes as tenants annoyed by faults in their homes are pursuing legal action against landlords at record levels.
Legal applications by Renters for urgent repairs have doubled over the past four years.
New minimum rental standards and the working-from-home phenomenon have led to a rise in applications to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) as renters seek legal solutions to disputes with their Rental Providers.
Data obtained by The Age shows the number of yearly applications for urgent repairs increased from 654 to 1103 cases between 2019 and 2021, while the number of applications for non-urgent repairs rose from 234 to 306 cases.
Mr Sizer says there are important implications for Rental Providers who must manage an urgent repair.
“This is especially the case when it comes to engaging the right professionals and tradespeople to deal with mould and rising damp,” he says.
“If a rising damp issue isn’t acted on immediately or acted on appropriately, Renters can reach out for compensation for a whole host of reasons.”
Renters have a right to apply to VCAT and get an urgent hearing scheduled if their Rental Provider fails to complete urgent repairs as soon as possible.
The new minimum rental standards, under Victoria’s revamped Residential Tenancies Act, come into effect at the end of March. They will require Rental Providers to include deadlocks on external doors, a functioning kitchen, a vermin-proof rubbish bin, mould and damp-free rooms and hot water connections.
Recently, there have been a number of reported instances of Renters and first-home Buyers living in new apartment blocks allegedly developing mould spores and other health issues due to mould and poor construction.
For property owners, paying for building diagnostics and rectification strategies can be very costly. Some issues faced by owners include internal water penetration, waterproofing membrane failures, waterproofing detailing, façade leaks, structural failures and cracking to concrete and masonry structures.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the 2022 calendar year was characterised by wetter-than-average conditions across much of eastern Australia due to cyclical weather conditions.
“Climatologically, these conditions were consistent with the wet phase of natural climate variability for our region – namely a La Niña, a negative Indian Ocean Dipole in winter and spring, and a persistently positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode from mid-autumn,” the bureau notes.
“The 2022–23 La Niña has been the third in a row. It is only the fourth time three successive La Niña events in a row have been observed in the Bureau record since 1900 (with the others being 1954–57, 1973–76, and 1998–2001).”
Going forward, it's crucial for property owners to be mindful of how intensified rainfall can affect their real estate investments. Therefore, Rental Providers should seriously consider partnering with an experienced Property Management company that can help them stay ahead of potential damage and keep their properties in top condition.
“There is a heightened awareness today in the residential rental industry around managing mould and rising damp, especially in light of Melbourne’s recent increase in wet weather,” Mr Sizer says.
If you would like to discuss your property management needs in greater detail, please contact any Nelson Alexander office.
