Mould: landlord or tenant responsibility?
The cause usually decides who fixes it
There's rarely a one-line answer to who pays for mould in a rented home. In practice it usually comes down to why the mould is there: a fault in the building, or the way the home is being lived in. Once the cause is clear, most disagreements settle quickly. Until it is, landlords and tenants tend to talk past each other.
This guide is practical, not legal advice. For questions about your tenancy agreement, your deposit or your rights, take advice from a lawyer or the relevant authority.
When the cause is in the building
Some causes are simply beyond a tenant's reach. A leaking pipe, roof or balcony, damp rising through ground-floor walls, rain getting in through cracked render, failed window seals, or a bathroom with no working extractor all need repairs that only the owner can arrange. No amount of airing will stop mould fed by water coming through the structure, and cleaning it only buys a few weeks.
When the cause is how the home is used
Other mould is driven by everyday moisture. Showers, cooking, breathing and washing dried on airers indoors all put water into the air, and if windows stay shut and vents are blocked, it turns into condensation on the coldest surfaces. In Cyprus winters, a sealed flat warmed by portable gas heaters is a classic example, because the heaters add water vapour as they burn. This kind of mould is usually managed by changing habits.
Plenty of cases are a mix: a cold outside wall that the owner could insulate, plus a household that rarely opens the windows. That middle ground is where most disputes start.
If you're a tenant: report it properly
Don't leave it until the end of the tenancy. As soon as you notice mould, tell your landlord or agent in writing, by email or message rather than only on the phone, so there's a dated record. Include:
- clear photos, with something in the frame to show the size;
- the date you first noticed it and where it is in the home;
- anything else you've seen, such as a musty smell, wet patches, a drip or condensation on the windows;
- what you've done so far, such as airing and wiping.
Keep copies of everything you send and receive. If it spreads or nothing happens, send updated photos with new dates.
If you're a tenant: while you wait
Keep ventilating and wiping condensation off windows each morning, use the extractors, and move furniture and clothes away from the affected wall. A small surface patch can be cleaned with gloves, a mask, a damp cloth and a mould cleaner; don't brush it off dry or mix products. What you shouldn't do is paint over it. Fresh paint hides the evidence your landlord needs to see, and mould grows back through paint anyway. If clothes, furniture or other belongings have been marked, photograph them as well and mention them in your written report. If anyone in the home has symptoms, speak to a GP.
If you're the landlord
Treat a report as information, not an accusation. Reply in writing, arrange for someone to look at it, and keep your own record of what was found and done. If the cause is a fault, a repair that deals with the moisture saves you repeat call-outs and protects the walls. If it looks like condensation, practical guidance for the tenant helps more than blame, and a check between tenancies catches problems before the next person moves in. Look at the window seals, the backs of wardrobes on outside walls and the bathroom ceiling, and make sure the extractors still work before handing over the keys.
Settling a disagreement
When the two sides can't agree, an independent view usually ends it. We find the cause before we touch the mould, so the fix lasts. An independent moisture inspection of the flat takes readings in every affected room and ends with a room-by-room moisture map sent to the customer's phone, plus a written report with the quote. Agree in advance who books it and that the report is shared with both of you, so everyone is working from the same evidence. For owners who want ongoing cover, a monthly visit to keep a rented flat dry keeps humidity down and catches regrowth early.
Need a neutral verdict on the cause? book an inspection from €75 or call +357 99 759144.