SIR I was very interested to read Michael Skidmore's advice about mould in the 6th August edition of the Beacon. However, there seems to be a large omission to his advice and opinions. I have a dreadful problem with mould in my rented house and have been given the standard advice on ventilation, avoiding introducing humidity to the home through drying clothes and overuse of showers etc. I was even advised that people should breathe less and not sleep in the affected bedrooms. What Mr Skidmore does not cover is the eventuality of when a house is made damp from the outside. When walls, roof or windows leak this causes a huge problem with damp and therefore condensation inside a house which is impossible to address with simple lifestyle changes. In these instances, if you own your house, it is in your best interests to act immediately to mend the problem immediately. After all, medical research has found links between mould, house dust mites and illnesses of the throat and lungs, especially affecting children and babies. The damp left by condensation will also damage plasterwork and timber windows. But what if your landlord will not address the problems? If you have a privately rented house you are left with a particularly ugly problem. You can complain (as I have done for years now), you can even go to your local environmental health officer, but under current legislation your landlord can still simply throw you out with only a month's notice if you start to ruffle their feathers. If you have a local job or your children are at a local school and you cannot find another rental house nearby, this would cause terrible emotional and financial distress to the family. I am calling on Monmouthshire County Council to back the proposed legislation to force landlords (and agents) to be more sympathetic to their tenants, to look after their properties well. Surely this is in their own interests anyway. Also to extend rights for long term tenants so that they, especially those with families, cannot be evicted without good cause and at least six month's notice. (Name and address supplied)