How to Handle Mold in a Rental Property

Are you renting and worried about mold? Tenant rights can be challenging to understand, especially when dealing with problems like mold in your property.

For instance, you might be wondering who is responsible for dealing with the mold infestation in your rental property—the landlord or you? Mold growth can cause a range of health issues, so figuring out how to proceed as quickly as possible is essential.

When moisture is present, mold can grow quickly in many areas of your house. Unfortunately, if left unattended, it can also negatively impact the building’s structure and result in a number of health problems, making timely and thorough treatment vital. Here we offer helpful advice on addressing mold in a rental home and what to do next to protect your family’s health.

Symptoms of a Potential Mold Issue in Your Apartment

Finding mold can be concerning since as a tenant, you want your rental property to be well-kept and properly maintained. Before everything else, keep in mind that spotting and reporting mold in a rental property as soon as possible is the best course of action. Delaying mold removal might affect your health and could potentially cause property damage, so settling the costs with your landlord is secondary to having mold removed.

Consult your landlord if you’ve noticed any of the following issues:

• Growth that is colored and fuzzy on surfaces exposed to dampness, such as carpets, walls, and ceilings
• A musty, wet odor
• You or members of your family frequently have headaches, allergy-like symptoms, or respiratory problems

It can also be helpful to check for microbial development in these areas:

• Your basement, as it is typically the area of the house with the most humidity and the least amount of light.
• The attic – especially if you have a leaky roof
• Your bathroom ceilings, which frequently come into contact with water
• The ducting of your HVAC system, which can circulate spores inside your home

Who Should Be Responsible for Mold Remediation in Rental Properties?

Most of the time, landlords are in charge of hiring mold removal services and maintaining the safety and habitability of their rental homes. They are required by law to provide their renters with homes free from threats to their health or safety, which is one of their responsibilities under the warranty of habitability. Having said that, there are several situations in which a mold infestation may be your fault as the tenant.

If Mold was Caused by a Landlord’s Negligence

Almost all states require landlords to maintain the habitability and fitness of their rental homes. This includes microbial growth-related repairs for leaking windows and roofs as well as plumbing systems.

Your landlord can be responsible for paying for mold remediation and decontamination fees if they neglect to make the essential repairs and mold develops in your house. You have the right to a rental property that is fit for human habitation as a renter.

If You Accidentally Caused Mold

If the microbial development is the consequence of the tenant’s own acts, their rights may vary while assessing the responsibilities for a mold infestation in an apartment. Since you are the tenant, you are also responsible for keeping the rented property in good condition.

This means that your landlord may charge you for the cost of mold cleanup if you routinely keep the unit closed, ignore the interior humidity level, and neglect to clean the area frequently. Generally, if you were the cause of the mold problem, your landlord won’t be held responsible.

Despite this, it’s also important to bear in mind that both tenants and landlords must work together to eliminate mold and maintain the safety of the rental property. Regardless of who is at fault, working together to execute a quick cleanup plan is still advantageous to both parties.

How a Tenant Can Help Prevent Mold Growth

The provisions of your lease agreement ultimately determine the actions you can take to remove mold and maintain the space you’re renting. However, there are useful steps a tenant may take to take care of small moisture concerns and stop mold from growing in the first place, such as the following:

• Every time you take a shower or a bath, use vents or open a window (if the weather permits) to let extra moisture out
• Avoid putting damp items in your hamper or on the floor; instead, wash and dry them immediately
• Immediately clean up spills on carpets
• As soon as you can, fix plumbing leaks and get rid of extra water in your house
• Open your windows frequently to keep your home’s airflow functioning properly

Experienced Mold Removal Experts

Although some renters and landlords frequently attempt to treat mold growth on their own, working with a professional mold removal company has several benefits. You can be sure that the job will be done correctly and in the safest way possible by contacting mold treatment experts.

Here are some wise suggestions to take into account before hiring mold removal services:

• Verify their insurance and training credentials. To remove mold, you may need a specific license in some states. Reliable mold specialists will be well-trained and insured
• Inquire about the decontamination and elimination of mold. They should be able to concisely and fully describe every step they’ll take
• Look into the tools they’ll use. Professional mold remediation experts completely clean your house and the air using proper equipment, such as HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) air scrubbers and vacuums
• Get information about their experience. Experts that have worked to remove mold and restore damaged properties have hard-earned knowledge that they may use to treat various mold growth scenarios.

Next Steps: Keeping a Future Mold Infestation from Occurring

Tenant rights and landlord obligations are things that both parties need to be aware of if you have mold in your apartment. Instead of trying to shift blame, tenants and landlords who collaborate can come up with useful solutions and put them into action. After all, neither tenants nor landlords want to deal with mold!

It is advised that you work with your landlord to take the following preventative steps if you have lately had to deal with mold in a rental property:

• Look for any leaks and fix them right away
• Install fans or dehumidifiers in the kitchen and bathroom
• To prevent mold from reappearing, repaint the treated areas using mildewcide-containing paint.
• Apply an oil-based primer to wood surfaces to prevent mold and mildew
• To find early indications of mold growth, ask your trusted mold removal team to do routine inspections

Acting quickly is wise as a mold issue will only become worse when unattended. Let your landlord know as soon as you suspect mold is an issue, and get in touch with a qualified team for thorough remediation!

If you are worried about a mold issue in your rental property, National First Response is here to help! Get in touch today.