When we rented a beautiful home, we were unaware of a leaking problem in the basement, we have been here 10 months and there seems to be mold growing on the walls in the basement and even a mushroom was growing at the bottom of the steps through the carpeting. We are moving, and are concerned because our landlord decided to paint over the moldy walls and said he cannot afford to take care of the problem properly.
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He is planning on re-renting, obviously, and we are concerned that the next family may get sick, as we have. We also lost thousands of dollars worth of belongings that were stored down there (which we didn’t ask him to recover for us) what should I do? should I report this to anyone? Please, any advice appreciated. Thank you.
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You should contact the health department of the city/town/county of the rental property. Inform them that you became ill from the mold in the home, so they know it is a health risk. If you are still in the area, keep an eye out on the place, and if new people move in, go and warn them. I know someone who left a “mold warning” message under every sink in a moldy home that he left. Guess what? The new renter saw a message, confronted the landlord, and moved out immediately! (he had left his number, and she contacted him and thanked him) Property owners do not have the right to keep exposing people to toxigenic molds/mycotoxins simply because they cannot maintain a safe living structure.
There is a recourse to your problem. Called the health dept. and obtaining a attorney. I have just went through this with my landlord. From the Spring rains the basement flooded like a river, numerous times. The basment has drywall, not long afterwards the mold started to show on the walls. The drywall was so soaked you could put your hands through it. I am now taking allergy shots, and have had a few times that it made me terribly sick. The health Department made him clean up what they saw, not where it came from the drywall. That was never done and the health dept.let him pass. Tried to warn the people they didn’t listen till they moved in and he is handling the mold issue like he did me, by doing nothing. Under the recommendation from Allergist I moved. and I have an Enviromental Attorney.
Thank you ever so for you article post.Much thanks again.
I plan on visiting the new tenants with copies of our mold report. Our unethical owners covered up the mold on the drywall under the cabinets by covering rotted out cabinet floors with new wood, and spray painting the drywall under brown. i may have to visit yearly, since the city is covering for him with this being a small town and no one even doing basic code compliance for renters, never mind mold inspections.
Perhaps you can place an ad in the local newspaper. If it embarrasses the landlord, good. Slum landlords need to be stopped! The other thing is to write your local paper and request a reporter to help expose this and educate your community!