To help you enjoy a healthy tenancy, here are some useful tips to follow.

Preventing mould

A dry, well-aired home is easier to heat and healthier for you and your family. To keep mould at bay:

• Open windows and doors when you’re home
• Open windows and use any extractor fans so steam can escape from cooking and bathing.
• Open curtains early in the morning and close them when the sun goes down
• Keep lids on pots when cooking
• Wipe condensation off walls and windows when it happens
• Hang washing outside to dry
• Open windows and use any extractor fans when using a clothes drier so moisture can escape
• Dry clothes and shoes before putting them away
• Leave wardrobes slightly open for ventilation
• Keep the shower curtain hanging inside the shower/bath so water doesn’t drip on the floor, and wash the curtain every few weeks
• Use an electric heater rather than gas (gas heaters expel water as the gas burns)
• Pull beds and furniture away from the walls so they can breathe
• Keep only a few plants inside

Removing mould

To protect your health and that of your family, remove mould as soon as it appears. You could use diluted household bleach (one part bleach with three parts water mixed together), or a less abrasive cleaner like cider vinegar. Your supermarket will have a range of more eco-friendly cleaners available, which may be more suitable for you and your home. Use a clean sponge or cloth when washing off mould and rinse it often to reduce the risk of it spreading. Wear gloves when washing it away.

Preventing damp

If you or any members of your family sleep on a mattress on the floor, this will cause damp on the floor space covered by the mattress. Damp will cause health problems for you and your family, as well as potentially causing damage to the floor. If it is not possible for you to put the mattress on a proper bed frame off the floor, then be sure to air the mattress every day by removing the bedclothes and lifting it onto its side.

Pest control

You can do a lot to keep rats and mice away by keeping your place clean and tidy so they have no food source and nowhere to nest. Steel wool is good for blocking up mouse holes. You can get mousetraps from the supermarket or buy poisoned bait from garden or hardware shops. Be sure to set bait out of reach of children and pets, and always wear rubber gloves when getting rid of dead rodents.