I’m currently looking for somewhere to live. Visited about 6 flats the other day and all of them smelt the same – a musty smell that’s very noticeable when you first enter the place. Flats were of different ages, 1960’s builds through to 2000’s and all smelt the same, which seemed odd. All fairly nice places and quite modern interiors. I’m concerned about living in a place with damp, but none of them had any visible… Either way it doesn’t seem like I have much choice in the matter since they all suffer from this apparently. Is this normal? Am I mistaking the smell of an empty apartment for damp? I need to find somewhere fairly soon as I’m relocating to Sheffield for work. Any input would be much appreciated!

Keep searching until you find something that gives you peace of mind, rather than renting a place that gives you doubts.

No idea what you smell but if your gut feeling does not like it then search for another one … 🙂

Keep searching until you find something that gives you peace of mind

Screw that*. Cheapest decent gaff when renting, and yes, empty flats do smell off.

Check behind any sideboards etc that are against a wall if you have genuine concerns, but chances are it’s because there’s been no open windows etc to create airflow in recent weeks.

*I know what you mean 🙂

Give JE James a call, they also have a property division and the ones I’ve seen are both decent and cheap,

Cheers for the replies, chaps

Avoid. If it smells musty something is wrong.

‘Musty’ in my experience means rotting rodent and it’s become a more noticeable issue in recent years. Problem is, you can’t control the source of the problem. There’s a nice pub in Manchester I’ve stopped going in due to it being next door to a food outlet and the musty stench can be dreadful. That smell is also in some of the city’s hotels. No helpful advice sadly apart from constant ventilation.

Are most of the flats empty when you go to see them? In many cases, them being shut up with no-one living in them does give them a funny smell. Always be mindful of something worse, but in my case, most places I rented improved after a few days and some open windows.

An empty flat during a damp summer will make a place smell musty. If your experiencing the same smell at loads of places then it’s probably that, I’d proceed with caution and If you like a place give it a thorough once over before taking it on but it’s likely that once your in and can open windows or put the heating on as necessary it’ll be fine.

all of them smelt the same

Have you checked its not just your top lip that smells funny?

An empty flat/house will go that way if it isn’t kept well ventilated. I wouldn’t worry about it, it’ll go away once you move in and open the windows for a bit.

Tenants often don’t understand, or wilfully ignore, the need to keep the place ventilated. Unless there’s visible evidence of damp it’s probably fine.

Tenants Women often don’t understand, or wilfully ignore, the need to keep the place ventilated. Unless there’s visible evidence of damp it’s probably fine.

🙂

As above, any house/flat smells odd if not ventilated. Unless you can actually see or REALLY smell damp then Id not worry.

Nearly every flat I’ve looked at has smelt ‘funny’ if it hasn’t been occupied for a week or more. Just check for obvious damp and ask the neighbours if you want to put your mind at rest. My current place was a bit fruity when I saw it as the previous tenant had moved out a week ago and it had been warm but damp outside, no windows open kept the smell inside. The smell went after a day with the windows open while I moved in and hasn’t come back as I keep it ventilated. It did smell slightly funny after a two week holiday but that was quickly overwhelmed by the smell of my rotting, dirty bike kit 😳

Personally I’d avoid through bitter experiance. I found a nice looking flat, it was perfect – big (for a flat) quiet rural location (almost unknown for a flat) and a GARAGE!

Smelt a big funky as I walked around – agent said “don’t mind the smell, they’ve had the carpets cleaned and it needs airing out” signed on the dotted line in April, renewed in Autumn – come winter and I realised it was more fish tank that flat, the heating was useless (storeage heaters) and massive damp problem – I’d leave work work monday, get home friday and the walls would be black – complained to the LL who made all sorts of promises but did sod all.

The kicker was losing my bond because of the damage the mould did to the walls. FFS.