This is according to private rented sector expert at LettingFocus.com David Lawrenson, who explained communication is the key to a good relationship between both parties.

It was suggested that in the current economic climate some tenants may find they are made redundant and cannot afford to keep renting a property.

In such an instance, the specialist recommended terminating contracts earlier than originally agreed if requested by the individual living in the abode.

“If they can’t pay it, then they can’t pay it; the landlord would be better off closing the contract early and getting new tenants in,” Mr Lawrenson stated.

His comments follow a recent report by Cluttons that revealed prime central London rents fell by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2012 from £1,043 per week to £1,032.

In Britain, condensation in residential property is mainly a winter problem particularly where warm moist air is generated in areas like kitchens and bathrooms and then penetrates to colder parts of the building. When the air gets cold, it cannot hold onto all the extra moisture produce by everyday activities, so some of this moisture appears as small droplets of water – most noticeable on windows or where there is little movement of air. If not properly dealt with, this extra ‘dampness’ can lead to mould growth on walls, furniture, window frames, even clothes.

Condensation and mould is a common problem. Older properties tend to suffer more than new ones, but rental properties are particularly prone. The problem is often a matter of degree: from a small patch of mould or discoloured wallpaper behind the wardrobe, in the very top corner of a bedroom, to serious amounts of mould growth across walls, inside wardrobes and on clothes, furnishings, carpets and in basements.

Causes of mould growth from straightforward building defects are without doubt the landlord’s responsibility in a residential property.  However, by far the most common cause of mould growth is condensation. The true cause of condensation-based mould growth is often complex and a combination of things. It is sometimes caused by inadequacies in the building, but very often the main cause of mould growth is the lifestyle of the occupants – the tenants.

Pat Barber, Chair of the AIIC, said: “Many tenants live in older properties and have inadequate heating and ventilation and the average tenant will produce condensation through cooking, washing, internal drying etc.  Condensation can lead to mould, a serious problem for both landlord and tenant because of the health risks associated with mould spores. The mould fungi have been identified as the source of many health problems, including infections, asthma, allergies and sinusitis. Moulds produce allergens, irritants, and in some cases, toxins that may cause reactions in humans.

“Landlords and agents need to be aware of the potential problems which damp, excessive condensation and mould growth can cause and should take steps to minimise the risks. It is unlikely that rented accommodation can be completely condensation free, even a new one.  However by keeping the property properly maintained and thinking about occupiers’ lifestyles, landlords and agents should be able to control it to acceptable levels.”

AIIC has put together some advice that landlords and agents should give tenants:

• Dry all windows, windowsills, and any other surfaces that have become wet. Ensure you wring out the cloth thoroughly, do not dry on the radiator!
• Try to keep the interior temperature of the property at a reasonably constant level.
• If possible, always hang your washing outside. If this is not possible, you could hang it in the bathroom, with the door closed, and window slightly open for ventilation. Do NOT dry washing on radiators as this will add to the moisture already in the air.
• Ensure that all extractor fans are working efficiently. Noisy extractors will encourage tenants leave turned off. (If an extractor cannot hold a postcard to the vent when switched on it is not efficient enough).
• If you use a tumble dryer, ensure it is well ventilated to the outside, or that it is the new condensing type.
• Try to ventilate your kitchen when in use, either by opening a window slightly, or using the extractor fan. Try to ventilate both kitchens and bathrooms for at least twenty minutes after use.
• If your property is prone to condensation then daily use of a de-humidifier unit can be very beneficial. These come in all shapes and sizes, cost very little to run and draw out the excess moisture from the air helping to keep the condensation under control.

The AIIC is a not for profit membership organisation and is committed to excellence and professionalism in the property inventory process.  The AIIC works hard to ensure that all landlords, tenants and letting agents understand the importance and benefits of professionally completed property inventories.

For further information on AIIC, please visit www.theaiic.co.uk

In 2011, there were getting on for double the number of complaints about letting agents than sales agents: 7,641 about the former, compared with 4,186 for the latter.

Although sales complaints did go up, by 9.5%, they reduced as a proportion of the overall complaints. Most of the complaints (two-thirds) were from sellers, many of whom were having difficulty selling their properties.

Noticeably, by far the largest number of complaints against letting agents came from London and the South-East, contributing 52% of overall complaints.

The biggest single cause of lettings complaints was complaints handling by the firm itself, followed by communications failure and deposit disputes.

For sales, the biggest single cause of complaints was communications failure, followed by complaints handling, sales particulars and commission fees.

This morning, Christopher Hamer proposed the formation of an industry council to develop and promote overall standards within the lettings industry.

He also called for all the industry bodies to ‘pull together’ and for the Estate Agents Act to be amended to take account of the lettings sector.

The council would also “seek to ensure that consumers understand why they should avoid letting agents who refuse to follow a set of industry standards, such as the TPO Code of Practice, and who do not seek out membership of recognised industry bodies such as ARLA, NALS or RICS”.

Hamer said his office dealt with 7,641 letting inquiries last year – 55% from landlords. More than 25% of the complaints concerned agents not registered with the Ombudsman scheme, meaning that consumers’ only redress would be to take costly legal action.

He described this as “a daunting prospect in the current economic climate”.

Hamer, who publicly supports the SAFEagent scheme, acknowledged that the Government has set its face against regulating letting agents. But he said a new industry council could get key messages across to consumers.

However, he added: “Getting that message across can only be achieved by the bodies pulling together so that it is made obvious to consumers which firms remain intent on operating outside of industry-approved standards.

“The Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 required all sales agents to register with a redress scheme.

“Since then, my office has seen a year on year improvement in standards relating to sales agents.

“If letting agents were compelled by law to register with a redress scheme, I believe that standards across the lettings industry would improve in a similar way.”

He said that letting agents should be included in the Estate Agents Act 1979 by a simple redrafting of one phrase, so that all forms of tenure were embraced. That would mean that all letting agents, like sales agents, would have to belong to a redress scheme.

By the start of this year, 11,504 sales offices were registered with TPO (an estimated 93% of the market), while 8,701 lettings offices were registered – an estimated 60% of the market.

Last year, TPO dealt with 7,641 lettings inquiries. Of those that went on to be examined, the Ombudsman found in favour of the complainant in 67% of cases. This compared with a figure of 56% of sales cases where he found in favour of the complainant.

The lettings awards were also larger, in 79% of cases topping £1,000 – “indicating the greater significance of their effects”.

A new ‘landlord sentiment’ survey by LSL Property Services, parent company to Reeds Rains, Your Move and the former Halifax agency offices, says that nearly half (49%) of landlords think it is a good time to invest in more property.

The landlords are also unworried by the prospect of rising interest rates, saying that they would need to rise 3.25% on an average buy-to-let tracker mortgage to exceed current rental income.

Nearly seven in ten landlords (68%) expect rental demand to grow in the next year.

However, 54% are finding mortgage finance harder than a year ago and cite it as their biggest obstacle.

Of those landlords who have bought in the last year, 48% were cash purchasers.

With 185,600 fewer first-time buyers entering the sales market in the last 12 months than in normal years, over half of landlords have seen a rise in tenant demand in just the last three months.

David Newnes, estate agency managing director for LSL, said: “Optimism among landlords is not only buoyant, but increasing. Soaring rents and climbing demand from frustrated first-time buyers are not only making buy-to-let an attractive proposition for new property investors – but are encouraging existing landlords to grow their holdings before property prices increase once more.”

The latest LSL Buy-to-Let Index showed that rents now equal their all-time high of £692 per month.

As a result, landlords with mortgage finance have an average of £274 in rental income a month after mortgage payments – or £3,288 per year.

This means that even if interest rates increase by 3.25%, landlords’ current rental income would be big enough to absorb the increase in the cost of a tracker mortgage on the average buy-to-let property.

Newnes said: “Landlords are taking a healthy sum once the mortgage has been paid each month. Many are taking the opportunity to either pay down their mortgage or expand their portfolio – or are using the opportunity to build slush funds for rainy days or future higher mortgage costs.

“With the Bank Rate forecast to remain below 2% until at least the end of next year, landlords can expect to see rental payments rise without facing the burden of higher mortgage payments.”

We are able to offer EPC’s at £95 each, irrespective of the size of your property.

If attitudes become reality, the shape of Britain’s housing market will be fundamentally changed within a generation.

According to the research into the attitudes and behaviour of young people towards home ownership, 77% of all those who do not own a home still aspire to owning one.

However, despite this aspiration, nearly half of 20 to 45-year-olds say Britain is becoming more like Europe where renting is seen as the norm, and predict that Britain will become a nation of renters within the next generation.

Produced by the National Centre for Social Research, the report analysed the results of a survey of 8,000 20 to 45-year-olds and identified the emergence of ‘Generation Rent’: two-thirds (64%) of non-home owners who believe they have no prospect whatsoever of buying a home.

The perception that banks are not lending, the size of mortgage deposits necessary, and a fear of the application process has prevented ‘Generation Rent’ from making any significant attempts to buy a home.

According to property group LSL, parent company to Reeds Rains and Your Move, landlords in March increased rents by 0.4% compared with February.

It was the second consecutive month rents have increased.

The group also reported that 9.4% of tenants are in arrears with their rents. Total unpaid rent came to £224m in March, the group estimates.

Regionally, rent rises differed. The greatest monthly increases were in Eastern England, where they rose 2.2% and the South-East where rents increased 1.7%. However, on an annual basis, London is powering ahead: over the course of the last 12 months, rents have soared by 7.3%. The South-East is close behind: rents there have increased by 6.7%.

The biggest monthly decreases were in the South-West, where rents fell 1.6%, and the West Midlands, where they dropped by 1.3%. Smaller monthly decreases also occurred in Wales and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Over the course of the past year, across England and Wales, only the South-West and Wales have registered annual falls in rents – by 2.4% and 1.5% respectively.

LSL said growing rental demand continues to outstrip supply, with most would-be first time-buyers staying in rented accommodation for nearly a decade.