Act early:

1. Ventilate more – especially the room where mould appears.

2. Clean the affected area with appropriate cleaning products (there are specific anti-mould sprays in supermarkets and drugstores).

3. Move furniture slightly away from the wall if mould is behind it.

4. Check your habits – drying clothes, closed windows, lack of heating.

If:

• the mould comes back quickly,

• spreads despite better ventilation, or

• seems to be connected to a leak (wet patches, peeling paint, dripping),

then:

• take clear photos,

• inform the landlord in writing,

• describe since when you noticed it and what you already tried.

Early information makes it easier to find the real cause.

It depends:

• Small spots in bathroom, around windows, corners that appear due to daily living (steam, condensation) and lack of ventilation

Tenants are expected to clean these quickly using normal household cleaning products (and to improve ventilation habits).

• Large, persistent mould that keeps returning even when you ventilate and clean properly

You should report this to the landlord with photos. If it is caused by a structural problem, the landlord is usually responsible for repairs.

If you ignore small mould spots and let them grow for months, this is usually considered negligence, and cleaning/repair costs can be deducted from the deposit.

Bathrooms are high-risk areas for mould. After a shower:

• If there is a window, open it fully for 5–10 minutes.

• If there is an exhaust fan, let it run for a while.

• Wipe excess water from tiles, shower walls and the floor if it stays very wet.

• Don’t keep wet towels piled up in the bathroom for days – they release a lot of moisture.

A bathroom that stays wet and unventilated almost always develops mould on ceilings, corners and silicone joints.

Check out the DAMAGE section

Check out the MOULD section

You can dry clothes inside, but you must do it carefully:

• Try to dry clothes in a well-ventilated room, ideally with a window you can open.

• When clothes are drying, open the window fully from time to time to let moisture escape.

• Avoid drying large amounts of laundry in a small closed bedroom with no ventilation – this is one of the fastest ways to create mould.

If you have access to a balcony, terrace or drying area, use it whenever the weather allows.

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It might feel strange, but in winter short, intensive ventilation is essential.

• Opening a window fully for 5–10 minutes quickly replaces humid air with fresh, drier air.

• The walls and furniture do not cool completely in such a short time, so the room warms up again quickly when you close the window.

• Leaving the window on a small “tilt” all day is often worse: the room cools down too much and you keep heating the street.

Best practice in winter:

• Heat the room normally.

• Open the window(s) fully for a short time (especially after showering or cooking).

• Close again and continue heating.

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Ventilate regularly

• Open windows fully for 5–10 minutes, several times a day.
• Especially after showering, cooking or drying clothes.
• Cross-ventilation (two windows opposite each other) is best when possible.

Use heating reasonably

• Very cold rooms + humidity = ideal conditions for mould.
• If you never heat a room and never ventilate it, it will almost certainly develop mould in winter.

Keep furniture a little away from walls

• Leave a few centimetres between wardrobes/sofas and cold outside walls so air can circulate.

Clean regularly

• Wipe condensation from windows and window frames.
• Clean corners, bathroom tiles and seals before any spots grow.

These small routines are usually enough to avoid serious damage.

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Mould needs moisture + poor ventilation.

Common sources of moisture:

• steam from showering,

• cooking without lids or extractor,

• drying clothes inside,

• breathing (especially in small, closed rooms),

• leaks from pipes or roofs (less common, but serious).

If the air is humid and the room is not ventilated, moisture sits on cold surfaces (corners, windows, outside walls) and mould starts to grow there.

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Mould and excessive humidity are a big problem in rental properties – for health, for the building, and for the deposit.

In many cases, mould and damp patches are caused not by a “bad apartment”, but by:

• not ventilating enough,

• drying clothes inside with windows closed,

• very little cleaning,

• not using heating correctly, especially in winter.

If this continues for months, it can lead to:

• damaged walls, furniture and windows,

• strong odours and visible black/green spots,

• complaints from landlords,

• deductions from the deposit for cleaning and repairs.

We want to help you avoid these problems and protect both your health and the property.

Check out the DAMAGE section

Check out the MOULD section

No.

• The landlord’s responsibility is to provide correct information about the property and, when necessary, a properly prepared tenancy-related document that can be used for registration.

• HomeInZagreb’s responsibility is to act as an agency, help organise your accommodation and inform you in general about the need to register.

But:

• neither the landlord nor HomeInZagreb can be held responsible for your failure to register,

• nor for any issues with your visa, residence permit, or legal status in Croatia or the EU.

These matters are governed exclusively by Croatian and EU laws and are under the authority of public institutions, not private companies or landlords.

If you do not register your stay or you miss important deadlines:

• you may be considered to be staying illegally or not in line with local regulations,

• this may affect your ability to extend your stay, obtain documents, or return in the future,

• you may face fines or other legal consequences according to Croatian and EU law.

These consequences apply even if you have a valid rental contract, because rental contracts and immigration rules are separate.

Because rules can change and depend on your nationality and purpose of stay, you should always check:

• official information from the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia,

• the website or office of the local police / administrative station for your address,

• your embassy / consulate,

• your university or institution (many have international offices that guide students through the process).

Only the official authorities can give you final, legally valid information.

No.

A signed Tenancy Agreement:

• proves that you have a place to live,

• is required for many procedures,

but it does not automatically register your stay.

You must still follow the official process (as instructed by local authorities, your university, or embassy), which usually means:

• filling in forms,

• presenting documents in person or online,

• receiving a confirmation from the competent authority.