Questions:                                                      Sat, 5 Jul 2003 18:34:34 -0700 (PDT)

We just moved to a new apartment and I have a walk in closet. Last night I found green mould growing on my sandals (which have been hardly worn). Then I found that all my shoes and boots, that were in a bag in the corner, where covered with green mould. We just moved there last month (June 1st).

Well, my questions are: What can we do? We rent the apartment, so what is the landlord's part in this? Can we get  rid of the mould?

Answers:

To know how serious your apartment mould problem is, you need to pay for your own mould testing either using a Certified Mould Inspector, or do-it-yourself mould test kits to inspect and test your properties for moulds.

Be sure to test all rooms of your apartment, plus all of the air flow out of heating/cooling [hvac] duct registers when the ventilating fan is turned on in the hvac system. The mould is growing because there is a water source that drives the mould growth -- maybe high humidity above 60%, or maybe a hidden plumbing leak or a roof leak. There can be mould infestation inside walls, ceilings, and floors that can cause serious health problems for you and your family.

Once you have proof of mould infestation from the mould test laboratory results, you should demand to be moved to a mould-safe apartment, or to get a refund of your security deposit and moving expenses to move elsewhere. Please visit: Landlord Tenant Legal Form or Mould Law Guide. Do not move any of your clothing or personal possessions without first doing mould decontamination in accordance with the procedures explained in our mould advice book. One big problem for you is that mould landlords will not spend any money, let alone enough, money for effective mould inspection, testing, and remediation. If you find you have a mould problem that your landlord ignores, you need to consult with an Environmental Attorney.

Questions:                                                                               Sat, 28 Jun 2003 20:13:32 -0700 (PDT)

I am from Austin Texas. I wanted to ask your opinion on the possibility of there being mould in our house and how we go about getting it checked. We rent a duplex and have lived here for almost a year. A couple months after we moved in we had some heavy rainstorms and noticed that there were some leaks that had made stains on our ceiling. We let the landlord know and nothing was done.

 A couple of weeks later there was more rain and even larger stains on the ceiling. The stains in both of our bedrooms turned green/black. When we let the landlord know they were just painted over. About two months ago a new roof was put on over the old one.

The reason we ask is because of the green/black mould that we had before it was painted over and the fact that all three of us have noticed constant headaches and severe problems with allergies while in the house. We would like to get a mould inspection of our house but do not know how to go about doing it. Does the landlord have to pay for the inspection? Or if you're not sure, where would I find that out?

Answers:

As you have already discovered, most landlords do not worry about the adverse health effects on their tenants from living in mould-contaminated apartments or houses. Most landlords will not spend the often substantial sums of money required for effective mould inspection, mould testing, mould removal, and mould prevention. To know more about landlord mould legal liability and mould claims, please visit: Mould Law Guide.

Thus, because of the serious health problems your family is experiencing due to mould in your rental, you need to move as soon as possible to a mould-safe place. To understand fully the health effects of mould on your health, please visit: Mould Health Guidebook

Do not move any of your clothing or personal property until you have decontaminated them in accordance with the precise instructions contained in our book Do-It-Yourself Mould Prevention, Inspection, Testing & Remediation.