Half of all students have a problem with condensation, mould and damp according to a recent report by the National Union of Students.

According to the NUS survey, 52% of all students have a problem with damp in their private, rented accomodation, while 47% have issues with mould and 41% are affected by damp.

The report has prompted ventilation company EnviroVent to call for effective ventilation systems to be fitted in more rented accommodations to help prevent health problems among tenants. Issues of condensation and mould have been closely linked to a range of respiratory and dermatological disorders and to the creation of toxic home syndrome, when the air indoors is found to be up to 50 times more harmful than that outdoors.

Marketing manager Rebecca McLean said: "It is not acceptable that such a high proportion of private dwellings inhabited by students are affected by condensation and mould. This has huge implications for health, as the presence of mould has been closely linked to conditions such as asthma. Condensation and mould are issues which can be fixed with an effective ventilation system, which has benefits both for the health of the occupant and the fabric of the building."

She added: "Landlords that invest in an effective ventilation system can see the benefits in terms of reduced maintenance and re-decoration costs. Having a clean, fresh internal environment is also a useful selling point, increasing the appeal to potential tenants."