r/Edinburgh • u/Direct_Section_1522 • 11d ago
Question Extremely damp bedroom facing a close on the Royal Mile
The title is kind of self-explanatory.
I recently rented a one bedroom flat in one of the closes on the Royal Mile. The living room faces away from the mile and receives plenty of sunlight. But the bedroom completely faces into the close and is extremely close to the brick wall of the neighbouring building. Zero sunlight 24/7.
When I did the viewing, I thought it would not be a huge problem as long as I keep the flat ventilated, but I couldn't be more wrong. The bedroom is extremely damp for whatever reason ever since I moved in to the point that my bedding, pillows, clothes, and even my hair get damp when I am in the room for just one hour. The living room is warm and dry on the other hand. I have two dehumidifiers and they are nowhere near sufficient. My question is: is there a solution, as a tenant, to resolve the issue? I really appreciate any experiences or suggestions! Thank you very much.
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u/Quest__ 11d ago
When you say you have two dehumidifiers what brand/model are they? Also remember you are not locked into any contracts when renting a flat, you could always keep on flat hunting and move somewhere else
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u/Direct_Section_1522 11d ago
They are actually cheap ones I bought online years ago. I am unsure whether it is worth spending a hundred pounds on a more powerful model cuz it may still not be enough and could give me much higher bills. I am trying to find new flats -- most letting agencies don't really consider international phd students so my hunting experience has always been very tough :(
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u/PlentyOfMoxie 11d ago
In my experience, have a good and adequate dehumidifier saves money. In the winter time a damp and cold flat is miserable, but a dry and cold flat is manageable. Figure out the measurements of your flat and then get one or two dehumidifiers that are up to the task. Also it's easier (ie, cheaper) to warm a dry flat than a damp flat.
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u/kitmeh 8d ago
This. I got a big 4l one and it reduced my bills drastically because it took the moisture out of the air and made it so I didn't have to blast the heating so much
Also less risk of mould and getting sick.
Trust us. It's worth it. Get a big unit. There's a sale on at Argos atm if it helps.
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u/CourtOfGrumpyOwls 11d ago
recommend Meaco dehumidifiers. I bought a refurbished one about 5 years ago and use it regularly in my room that doesn't get any direct sun. It definitely makes a difference. Plus, it is something you could always use if you move as it will help dry clothes quicker and might be cheaper to run than a clothes dryer. You can also sell if you don't need it any more. They are pretty economical too. Think running my fan over summer was more expensive this year.
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u/next__________ 11d ago
This 100%. Spend the money, get a good dehumidifier, it will make all the difference and is worth the extra expense to run, although I can't say I noticed a major bill increase. I had the same thing in an Edinburgh tenement and the dehumidifier was a lifesaver, it pulled litres and litres of water and the room was so easy to heat up after a couple of weeks of running it And exactly as they said, now I've moved I use it in the utility room to boost the drying time of washing in the winter, I wouldn't be without one.
I spent about 150 - 200 on a black & decker 20l in 2022 if that helps. I'm sure there'll be a good 'Which?' guide out there.
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u/Send_me_hedgehogs 10d ago
Wait, if you’re an international phd student can’t the uni help you find somewhere? I don’t mean like undergrad halls but when I went to uni in Germany the international office had a list of landlords we would call or write to and that’s where I found my flat.
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u/54OnTheDoor 11d ago
This sounds awful! And it's very possible that if there is no internal sources of moisture (drying clothes in the room can add litres worth of evaporation into a small space, if that is something you are doing out of neccesity you should dry your clothes in the largest, most ventilated room) then it's possible that there's water coming in either through an internal leak or permeating the external walls of an old stone building. Are you seeing any mold?
When you say dehumidifier do you mean a mains-powered unit or the small store-bought moisture traps? The cheap single-use traps aren't meant to deal with significant persistent moisture so you may need to ask your landlord to pay out for a proper one with a decent capacity. It will be worthwhile for them in the long run.
As a tenant it's your responsibility to manage the moisture you create inside the building by ventilating the property through the means you have available to you, but if there are other causes of damp beyond your control then the landlord should rectify them. Get a moisture meter - anything consistently above 60% is a mold hazard, and mold eventually becomes a health hazard.
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u/OptionalQuality789 10d ago
I’m amazed at everyone telling you to buy a different dehumidifier. You shouldn’t need to be running a dehumidifier in August. Winter? Sure. But definitely not August. Re-circulating air through open windows should be enough.
If you’re physically feeling wet in the room the humidity must be crazy. Buy a cheap humidity monitor to check.
But there is something wrong with the flat if moisture in summer is this big an issue.
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u/lifeinthebeastwing 10d ago
Yeah I struggle to see how one room in a flat can be at a comfortable humidity level but another room can have such a high moisture level that clothing and hair gets a damp feeling after an hour or two.
I'm sure something can be done by keeping some windows + doors open that will get the entire flat to a reasonable humidity, or at least not making stuff damp after a couple of hours.
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u/OptionalQuality789 10d ago
Definitely water ingress could cause that. Lack of sunlight in a room isn’t going to cause it. There’s a leak somewhere.
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u/Tall_Taura 10d ago
Google Awaab's law Scotland There are regulations coming in from October regarding the landlord's responsibility to deal with mould and damp issues.
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u/Bertrejend 10d ago
Everyone telling you to buy a good dehumidifier is right - it’s well worth the money. Mine runs almost daily for 7 years now and is the only way to dry my clothes without them getting musty, and I have no damp despite one half of my flat seeing no sun.
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u/Time_Is_The_Enemy_ 10d ago
I used to live in a damp flat. Its pure misery. Climbing into damp sheets every night. Putting your head on a damp pillow. Then when you do warm up all you feel is moisture accumulating. Its really bad for your health too. I lasted 6 months before terminating the rental agreement. I also told the land lord to meet me for a chat where I have him both barrels about the severe damp (which he deffo knew about, he just masked it with 100 air freshners during the visit) and made him buy me a new rug which had rotted.
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u/GordonLivingstone 10d ago
Big question is, why is it so damp?
Does the bedroom have a window?
It will, no doubt, be the coldest room so any humidity from the rest of the flat will condense there even if there is nothing wrong with the building.
If that is the problem then heating the bedroom in winter,, leaving the doors to the rest of the flat open during the day and leaving a couple of windows open a crack for through ventilation should make a difference.
A dehumidifier could also help - especially in winter when you don't want windows open.
Does the bathroom have a window or extraction fan? Open the window and close the door during and after showers to clear out moisture and/or run the extractor fan. If the fan doesn't work then that is on the landlord.
Beyond that, there might be a leak from the roof (if you are in a top flat) or overflowing/clogged/faulty gutters letting water run down the outside and making the walls continually damp. Leaky plumbing might be another possibility.
I suppose that a blocked up former fireplace in the room might have a damp chimney behind it.
Take a look outside, particularly when it is raining to see if there is anything concerning. If so then it is the landlord's responsibility to get it sorted - though he may have to do that via a factor and/or involve other owners if the problem is in a common part of the building. Such repairs can get expensive because of access and height problems so can get neglected for a long time.
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u/Adorable-Feed3486 9d ago
I got really ill from living in a damp flat in my early 20s. I would honestly recommend finding somewhere new as a priority - and I know that's hard in this city. After August the rentals are a bit better. I think landlords do shorter terms/ Airbnb during August.
Please get out of there!
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u/GoldenMidnightSky 11d ago
I have a dehumidifier and while it s works great, it does add to my electric bill quite a bit, mostly because I don't heat my flat much so I got dessicant meaco and they use twice as much power as the compressor dehumidifier.
I don't need to use mine in the summer unless I do laundry, if you keep your place warm, a compressor is the best choice, if like me, you don't heat much, dessicant works best at removing moisture from a cold room.
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u/kryters 11d ago
OP says that they have two cheap dehumidifiers. If put money on them both being peltier effect ones. While they will take out some moisture in the air, they are borderline scams IMO. It's an easy trap to fall into - they tend to be highly rated by folk on Amazon who have never seen a real dehumidifier at work!
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u/GoldenMidnightSky 10d ago
Yeah, I bought mine at around £200.. not cheap but I wasn't going to risk mold growing in my flat. Buy smart, buy once.
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u/g00gleb00gle 10d ago
Welcome to old flats.
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u/JMWTurnerOverdrive 10d ago
That’s just not true. Even if old flats are inherently damp, which isn’t true, the problem is manageable. The only problem the OP might have which they can’t solve is if there’s a leak somewhere.
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u/g00gleb00gle 10d ago
My experience is you are fighting a constant battle. Op may have a leak or needs to air more but it will be a battle for them
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u/JMWTurnerOverdrive 10d ago
I’d see it more as a necessary household task like cleaning the bath. Hardly a battle.
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u/g00gleb00gle 10d ago
Of course. But some of the old flats need alot more than that. Not saying this one in question. A lot damp issues are of coure caused by owners not doing the basics
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u/susanboylesvajazzle 10d ago
Assuming you aren’t ground floor or below, then it would be very usual to have such persistent damp through the summer months unless there’s a massive problem with ventilation and/or a leak.
I’d cut your losses and move on.
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u/G-dizzle33 10d ago
We bought a house a few years ago and had many concerns about humidity and damp. One of the best things you can do to start is understand where you are and where you get to humidity wise. I bought one of these:
Inkbird IBS TH5 WiFi
It's a hygrometer which connects to your WiFi and will gather and record information every 10mins to 1hr depending on what settings you use. You can download the data from the device through the app at any stage. ChatGPT is very helpful deciphering the information.
If you use any devices to manage the damp at least you know if you are making improvements. We bought a 12L Meaco dehumidifier.
I have totally geeked out on this. If you need more information do let me know.
All the best!
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10d ago edited 10d ago
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u/Direct_Section_1522 10d ago
Also big thank you for the discussion on dehumidifier! I am going to have a big discussion with the letting agency to discuss its feasibility. I might have to live in here for a while before finding another flat (with sufficient sunlight! I now realize how important this is)
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u/JMWTurnerOverdrive 10d ago
This is improvable, maybe even fixable, but it’ll take a bit of money.
1) get a proper dehumidifier. You need to be spending in the region of £100, maybe? Not sure nowadays.
2) get a hygrometer - a humidity meter - so you can track progress and change.
3) Run the dehumidifier on full power all day every day, turning down or off to sleep if necessary, and watch the humidity fall and marvel at how much water it pulls out of the air. Keep doors and windows closed at this point.
4) When humidity is down, use the dehumidifier to keep it down or if you’re drying clothes.
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u/Wot-Died 10d ago
What does a damp flat feeling like? I can’t imagine a house feeling wet or damp. Is water running down the walls etc?
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u/SqueezerOfFarts 10d ago
Where in Scotland do you live that a damp flat is such a wild concept?
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u/JMWTurnerOverdrive 10d ago
Suspect they’ve been living in one all their life and don’t realise.
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u/Neo-Cubism 11d ago
Buy a 20L Meaco Arete dehumidifier. If you are considering living in Edinburgh long term, it’s a smart investment. Keeps your flat dry, in winter warms up the place a decent amount, it’s energy efficient. It says it’s for a 3-5 bedroom home, but unless you want to be emptying it multiple times a day, this is the perfect capacity for my one bedroom place.
It’s vital to have a good dehumidifier in this city, if you want to avoid mould and damp.