Comments on: Black mold in rental. Can I get deposit back?

By: Lynn

Lynn — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:47:14 +0000

My basement is full of mold both in stagnant water a d up the supporting walls. I have asked my landlord to take care of it many times he has ignored my letters. Finally I complained to fair Houseing. So he terminated my lease. When I didn’t leave he started to evict me.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:00:06 +0000

If you can talk to your LL about the issue then that’s great. If not, talk to a mediator company for some help.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:40:08 +0000

Don’t put all the blame to the landlord. Tenants also play a key role when it comes to making sure that the apartment is mold-free.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:20:04 +0000

Correct. A complete inspection is necessary before you move in. Don’t just look at the apartment through a door or a window, you must really get in and look at every corner. Particular points to be inspected would be the ceiling and the walls. Bathrooms and kitchens are also good places to start since they are constantly exposed to moisture.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:00:04 +0000

Being stuck with mold, even if it’s not the deadly strain, is a situation that I wouldn’t want to deal with. It’s just too much for me to handle since I have allergies. I know my respiratory problems are not my LL’s concern that’s why I always do a walk through and a close inspection of the apartment before I sign any lease agreement.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 04:40:04 +0000

While your unit was being repaired, were you temporarily relocated? If so, was there an additional charge? If so, then that’s wrong. You should not be charged because it is the duty of the landlord to make sure that your apartment is habitable.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 09:00:04 +0000

My apartment got flooded because of the storm and I had to move out. When I got back three days later, I saw mold growing all over the place. I know that black mold takes between 8 and 12days to form so I’m not worried that I have those dangerous strains of mold. However, I still don’t feel comfortable with those molds all over the place and they smell too! Luckily, my landlord sent some maintenance guy to clean the place up, remove all excess water and then scrape the molds out of the apartment surfaces.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:40:07 +0000

Not all molds are harmful, in fact only about 1% of all molds can be black mold. So once you see mold, don’t go all out crazy and tell your landlord that they’re not keeping their end of the deal. Determine if the mold is dangerous or not first.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:20:05 +0000

I agree. You need to completely document the mold issue in order to hold well in court. You also need to give your landlord a chance to try and fix the problem first. 5-10 days is a good timeframe. A lot could already be done by then. Again, do this before you proceed to calling a third party to help.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:00:05 +0000

I’d say if this happens, give them enough time to fix the problem. Write a letter and send it through certified mail, and make sure to get a copy of the receipt. In the letter, be as detailed as possible. Write the location of the mold, how big it is and the medical conditions that you’ve had. Then give your landlord about 5-10 days to fix the problem, otherwise, you’ll call the local health department. In case you don’t really want the landlord to be fined and just wish to have the problem resolved, I agree that you can just contact RPA and get them to find a solution for you.