Rental Unit Health, Safety & Mold FAQs

Q&A on Health Department Tenant Aid

Rats, Rodents, Mice in Rental Home FAQs

Rats Making Holes in Furnishings & Walls in my Rental Trailer

I live in a trailer that has rats bad they have eaten wholes through the walls and through my furniture that isn't even paid for the smoke alarms don't work and if u leave a cup of maybe juice out for a full day on the table mold grows on it (Apr 24, 2014) Anonymous

Reply by (mod):

Anon: if the landlord is not helping with site cleanup and providing professional rat exterminator services it would be appropriate to ask your health department (rats) and your building department (smoke alarms and fire hazards) for help.

Watch out: smoke alarms are inexpensive, and in some communities may even be given to you free by your local fire house.  Be sure you have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors properly located and tested.

My apartment is infested with roaches - I want to get out

What do i do if my apartment is infested with roaches and they've already sprayed the apartment 3 times and still no luck its gotten worst since i can eat have food in the house ? Help please i just want out of my lease . On 2017-06-07 Liz

Suggestion by (mod) - apartment is infested with roaches

Liz:

If you have thoroughly cleaned your home and removed all open food, and have made double sure that any stored food is in closed, secure containers, you've removed the roach-attractants over which you have control.

I have seen roach infestations in walls and coming out of openings in apartments that were immaculate; for those a professional exterminator is an effective step but in my OPINION if neighbors don't clean and secure food the same as you, it's difficult to control the roach problem without regular treatments of all of the spacesa licensed professional.

You can ask for help from your health department.

If you want to break your lease, you need to review the lease terms with an attorney or with a legal aid service first.

Landlord won't fix mold and rodents - I need an inspector

In need of a home inspection. My land lord was supposed to fix my home for 2 years an hasn’t. Mold growing an cabinets can’t be used. Rodents in an out walls - On 2021-08-02 by Brandon rosado

Reply by inspectapedia.com.moderator - when do I need a home inspection for mold?

@Brandon rosado,

The page top EXPERTS DIRECTORY can point you to some home inspectors (many of whom do mold inspections) and some environmental inspectors - maybe more costly.

See also

MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT, HIRE ? - figure out when to hire someone

Unidentified Dust or Debris Hazards in Rental Apartment FAQs

I rent an apartment that has become covered in black dust

Can anyone help me out current tenant only been here for 2months and my apartment is covered in this black dust no one knows what it is mold test was done she keeps ignoring me when I ask for the results

I have a 2 year old that suffered from a Respiratory Infection and has now been diagnosed with asthma I also have asthma and have been having symptoms of coughing , dry eyes and mouth

she also let me know that the township that I’m in all works together so I am looking for outside help I also with held my rent for this month and she sent me a late notice and late fee. - On 2021-07-22 by T

Reply by danjoefriedman (mod) - contact the department of health but first watch out for fatal carbon monozide poisoning

@T,

You want to find out for yourself if the local health department will help you - give them a call but first

Watch out: if your apartment is heated by gas, and if the gas heater is making soot, there is an immediate life safety risk: fatal carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure you have working smoke and Carbon Monoxide CO detectors properly located, installed, and tested - or shut off the equpiment right away.

 

Sewage Backups / Spills in Rental Apartment or Home FAQs

Tip: see our complete advice at SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO

Sewage leak in the bathroom - is that a problem?

I am currently living in a home that is 125 years old. We had a sewage leak in the bathroom. Of this home that was turned into four apartments. We had the landlord get his boyfriend.

Not a proper contractor, come in to do repairs to the bathroom. Where the sewage leak was. He decided to cut into black moldy wet soaked sewage floors. With a circular saw. While doing this did not put up any proper plastic tarps.

Needless to say, the apartment quickly filled with a dark cloud that set all fire alarms off. We then new this had to be unsafe.

The guy thought it was no big deal. We decided to hire a air Quality company for testing.

Air Quality and swabs. There were high concentrations of the mould species Stachybotrys. Which was so bad it stated That it was unsafe for cohabitation We got the city involved. But do to Covid. It really has been unbelievable. What has gone on

We live in the city of Barrie Ontario. A mold remediation company was called in. But they didn’t clean properly or even use any air purifiers.

Then the landlord used a house appraisal company for her air Quality report. Which made no sense.

It said that the air outside was the same as the air Quality inside. Basically in a nut shell. The city actually excepted this test as a pass. Our family especially me have been sick. For a couple of years. I had no idea. We had rights as tenants

. I was so nieve I have had our very repretable air Quality company in here. That I found on a website. They do usually do big jobs like hospitals. So I hired them for a new report. Since the supposed mold remediation. We have all had more symptoms.

The city is doing nothing right now. But I will be sending them the new report again. When I receive it this Monday. Not to mention that during the remodel of the bathroom. We were left exposed also to fibre glass insulation for a week in the bathroom with no vapour barriers.

They have on top of this all. Been coming into my apartment with zero Covid protocols. The health board says it’s not there duristiction

Then the city says it’s not there’s either. Have you ever even heard of such a situation. Any help or comments with this would be greatly appreciated. - On 2021-05-15 by Kristen

Reply by (mod) - Health risks when there is a sewage spill or backup

@Kristen,

Yes, though it will be small comfort, situations like the one you described happen all the time. That is a person who doesn't really know what to do just put in charge of a water damage, sewage damage, or mold contamination cleanup project.

The health concerns in the case you describe include pathogens from sewage bacteria as well as mold contamination.

What's needed now is an expert visual inspection of the property that is very thorough. The inspection needs to determine where additional cleaning or Demolition and cleaning are required.

The inspection might be supplemented by tests for for bacterial contamination or sewage pathogens as well as mold. But a test alone would not be sufficient. What's needed is to identify the areas where cleaning is required or disinfection is required.

The other questions you raised about personal health need to be reviewed by your doctors.

Is black water leaking into an apartment unsafe?

My girlfriend's mom lives in an apartment complex.They have water coming inside,which is black,and manager said won't fix.My question is,?Is this dangerous?and what can she do,,? -On 2020-09-15 by Alan V

Reply by (mod) - black water leaking into apartment raises serious safety and health concerns

Alan

I can't know what's in the water you mention but certainly any leak into a building is likely to cause problems such as mold growth or unsafe electrical wiring or damage to the building heating, air conditioning or other equipment;

Watch out: the water leaking into the apartment is sewage there is a serious bacterial and pathogenic health hazard.

Watch out: if water leaks wet electrical switches, receptacles, lights, etc. or even other equipment like a heater, that may be a second set of life-safety hazards.

Watch out: even before those hazards, depending on what gets wet, a floor or stairs can be a serious fall hazard.

If management refuses to respond to written notice of a leak and possible health and safety concern your girlfriend's mom may need to ask for help from her local department of health.

Waterford Loop Square apartment sewage leak is unsafe

I moved in to an apartment over at Waterford Loop, square I have had nothing but problems since I have lived here I was in the hospital with bronchial problems they want me to go see a long specialist

I had sewage leak into my home into the bathroom the bathtub my carpet in the closet they didn’t do anything except replace the padding underneath it and clean the carpet now I have a leak coming down my walls from upstairs my ceiling looks like it is about to collapse - On 2020-03-24 by Anonymous

Reply by (mod) - sewage leak is unsafe & wet carpets must be removed, not "cleaned"

Watch out: A sewage leak requires removal of sewage-wet materials that can't be effectively-cleaned (carpet, carpet padding, drywall, insulation, etc)

Disinfection of the affected surfaces

Repair of the cause

Anything less leaves a probable health hazard in the building.

Septic tank backed up into basement, what law pertains to how this gets cleaned up?

The septic tank in our rental house has backed up into the basement, as far as I can tell no solids have come thru yet but the cleaning crew has informed me that normally they would remove any carpet or drywall that has been soaked but the homeowners insurance doesn't cover this so the homeowner asked them to just clean the area.

I'd like to know what the laws pertaining to this are and if just cleaning the carpet and drywall is enough to sanitize the area.

The backup has been going on almost a week before the real problem was discovered and the entire house has smelled like suage for 3 days now.

I have bad lungs and am worried about the health effects. Thank you On 2015-11-13 Anonymous

Suggestions by (mod):

Certainly I agree with the cleaning company. You'll need to ask for help from your health department.

Cockroach Infestation in Rental Apartment FAQs

Roach residue in my apartment

My apartment smells of mold or mildew and my stove smells of roach residue. I have ask my landlord about these issues but he doesn’t seem to believe me.

Also I am having to operate several kitchen appliances on one outlet with the use of an extension cord.

When I discussed this issue with landlord, his response was it’s way too expensive and I’m nit tearing out the wall to redo the electrical. I have one GFI less that 18” directly Iberia my kitchen sink.- On 2020-04-30 by Ebony - On 2020-04-01 by Linda

Reply by (mod) - and ... use of extension cords in a rental apartment kitchen risks electric shock or death

Linda

Watch out: An extension cord running multiple kitchen appliances at once is a possible fire and shock hazard.

Mold and roaches are possible health hazards, even if the total quantity is no large - we don't know how big these problems are without further investigation.

You don't give your country and city but in most parts of the world and certainly in North America and Europe and Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, etc., while they don't have to provide much, a landlord is usually obligated to provide safe, habitable housing to the tenant.

If your home is not safe and habitable (health hazards, fire hazards, electrical safety hazards) then if the landlord can't respond to those conditions you may need to ask for help from your health department, building department, or local legal aid society.

See BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS in BUILDING INDOOR AIR 

Sewer or other Gas Odors in Rental Apartment FAQs

Should we get out of our house that smells of sewage and makes us vomit?

I would like to know if there is no sewage actually backing up into the house however there is a pungent smell that creates the ability to vomit and or the need to immediately leave the premises based on the smell of sewage,

Not only is it strong enough to create a natural bodily function to toxins but it also makes a inability to use the bathroom during certain hours of the day without covering your face. On 2019-12-14 by Kalani

Answer by (mod) - if you smell sewer gas or methane the buidling may be unsafe

Kalani

Watch out: If you smell sewer gases in the building then the potential hazards are more than inability to use the bathroom; there is a potential of a methane gas explosion and a potential for harmful pathogens or bacteria in the property.

Urine Contamination in Rental Apartment Hazard FAQs

Tip: See URINE / ANIMAL ODORS IN BUILDINGS - home

Staph Infection Hazards from Urine Contamination in Apartment

Suspected carrier of methicillin resistant stsphylococcus aureus (MRSA0) is it possible to contract this from contaminated urine soaked cabnet that apt has still not removed even though shelves are warped from the septic water that caused my ceiling to expand 1' down from ceiling& across half ceiling in kitchen before it collapsed& flooded my cabnet,counters drywall& tile.

Nothing has been tested or sanitized as far as throwing away contaminated cabnet& counter where urine soaked it due to the busted pipe above ceiling& maintenance not wanting to deal with it for 3 days.

Question being cant MRSA be caused by septic contamination in home? On 2019-08-16 by Carole

by (mod) - problems with urine contamination - research on infection spread through urine

Human urine or animal urine? Healthy human or a person who's sick.

A person with a staph infection could excrete staph in urine. Here are examples of supporting research:

Research on Staph Infection Hazards in Urine

• Muder, Robert R., Carole Brennen, John D. Rihs, Marilyn M. Wagener, Asia Obman, Asia Obman, Janet E. Stout, and Victor L. Yu. "Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus from the urinary tract: association of isolation with symptomatic urinary tract infection and subsequent staphylococcal bacteremia." Clinical infectious diseases 42, no. 1 (2006): 46-50.
• Lee, Bryan K., Kent Crossley, and Dale N. Gerding. "The association between Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and bacteriuria." The American journal of medicine 65, no. 2 (1978): 303-306.
• Safdar, Nasia, and Elisa A. Bradley. "The risk of infection after nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus." The American journal of medicine 121, no. 4 (2008): 310-315.
• Ando, Eiichi, Koichi Monden, Ritsuko Mitsuhata, Reiko Kariyama, and Hiromi Kumon. "Biofilm formation among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients with urinary tract infection." Acta Medica Okayama 58, no. 4 (2004): 207-214.
  

Health Department or Legal Help for Tenants FAQs

How do I get Health Department Help for my house in Piapot, First Nations?

I live on Piapot First Nations and my house is so clod and old with many problems so i need a health inspector to come look at my place before it gets colder plz im a singal father of 2 boys On 2018-11-07 by Nolan sugar

by (mod) - Find a health inspector - how to contact the health department for F/N, (First Nations Authority, BC, Canada and others)

Making the house warmer AND getting in inspection from the health center makes sense Nolan.

Inany case give her a call HEALTH CENTRE CONTACTS: Office 306-781-4833 Fax 306-781-7063. Director of Health Services: Judy Sugar

And let us know what happens.

Besides calling the health department for F/N, I'd be glad to help you sort out what you can do yourself or have friends or family do to help you make your house warmer.

In general the first priority is not adding insulation, it is finding and fixing air leaks and drafts - often around windows and doors. Those repairs are not expensive and can often be done even using makeshift materials.

If you want to discuss that further you can post comments here, or a photo of a problem area or of the home exterior (use the Add Image button to add one image per comment) and I can perhaps offer specific suggestions.

How do I get Legal Help when Property management failed to make all repairs

Property management for two months have failed to make all repairs i still have mold and now charging me for 1750 damages only damages i made were two small rectangles at bottom of wall in kitchen and bathroom because both had severe mold in the drywall.

They patched those holes and painted walls. Have rotting floor with mold in entryway what can i do On 2019-12-1 by Courtney

by (mod) where to get help from a local legal aid attorney

Courtney

It sounds as if you need help from a local legal aid attorney or possibly your health department. If your DOH agrees that the apartment is moldy and unsafe to occupy that can force action on the part of management.

Similarly if there is a rotting floor that may be an immediate life safety hazard that your building department may be willing to inspect and cite.

See LEGAL AID ATTORNEY HELP SOURCES

My rental house in Brainerd MN is moldy and making us sick. Landlord won't do anything. Who do I call?

I'm renting a house in Brainerd MN. It is so full of mold! Windows walls floors. It is making my family sick, and I have an infant. Landlord knows about issue and won't do anything. We cannot live there anymore. My infant is so sick I need to get her out now. What do I do? On 2014-11-21 by Chelsi Wartner

by (mod) - special concern for mold lung infection hazards in infants; Here are health department and legal aid contacts for you

Chelsi

Watch out: OPINION: where your baby is already sick, and considering the possible risks of serious Aspergillosis lung infection, in my OPINION you should try to get out of that envirdonment immediately, even if it means just going to temporary (clean) housing.

Check with the

Brainerd Health Department, 204 Laurel St. Suite 12 Brainerd, MN 56401 Directions Phone: 218-824-1170

Check with your attorney about vacating the building and breaking the lease. But beware, you may also need to clean your possessions before moving them to a new home.

For free legal aid in Brainerd, MN, contact Justice North (formerly part of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid) Tel: 877-MY-MN-LAW.

Alternatively you can contact Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS) - using the same telephone number: 877-MY-MN-LAW.

Also see LEGAL AID ATTORNEY HELP SOURCES

My children are sick with respiratory problems and my landlord won't do anything; how do I get help?

I live in income based apartments and I have two children that are sick often with upper respiratory issues.

I asked my apartment if they do mold inspections and they told me if I had mold I would smell the mildew, mold smell. I don't smell anything, but want to get an inspection done. How or who do I go through to get some answers? On 2014-08-25 by Cara

Answer by (mod) -

Cara if you have to hire your own mold inspector take a look at the EXPERTS DIRECTORY link at the top of this page to find mold inspectors, or check your local telephone book or online for your city. Don't hire someone who just does a "test"

You might also want to see this article that describes how to decide that hiring someone is appropriate

https://inspectapedia.com/sickhouse/IAQ_Investigation.php

Respiratory Issues in Rental Unit FAQs

Help for Grandmother with Respiratory Issues, Living in Section-8 Housing

Hello, My grandmother lives in a section 8 house that is supposed to be regularly inspected and maintained. She has not had a visit like this in her apartment in the last 3-4 years.

Presently, she has been dealing with severe respiratory issues (frequent smoker, but these are brand new and putting a few dampaid products in her home to get rid of some of the musty smell and humidity has helped her.) There was a leak from her AC unit that they "fixed" a while back, after fixing it the humidity and musty smell in the house got significantly worse though.

My question, I guess, if they saw and did not properly address this problem (she also mentioned that she thought it was mold to one of the maintenance men working on her house, who blew it off and ignored her.

Also didn't have her wear a mask inside while he was doing all this renovating after the huge leak) and she's been having health issues related to it, can she sue the apartment complex or manager? I feel like given it's government property and they're held to higher standards this kind of thing never should have happened.

The managers have always been known to focus more on themselves and less on tenants though. Please answer asap. 8/18/14 concerned relative

Reply by (mod):

Concerned,

You're right to ask the questions you do, but not quite right in guessing at proper procedure.

If a building has a large area of harmful mold contamination that needs to be removed and the cause fixed.

And if there was such a cleanup process performed, an elderly, fragile occupant should not be in the building at all during that work, and should not return until the building and its contents have successfully passed a mold clearance test.

I can't say from your note if the problem is a small one (less than 30 sqft of contiguous mold contamiantion) that can be handleda handyman, or a large one (more than 30 sqft) that required professional treatment.

Black mold in my apartment is causing breathing problems and headaches

How do I get help for the Black Mold causing breathing problem
..and it's getting worse and headaches really bad. On 2019-03-06 by Jerry Ervin

by (mod) - "black mold" is a mistake: mold of any color can be harmful

Jerry

black mold" is a dangerous misconception fired-up by some vendors and journalists.

There are harmful molds of just about any color and texture, and some, such as Aspergillus, produce small spores that are more-easily airborne, are breathed deep into the lungs, and that are probably more harmful to more people than most popular "toxic black molds" because of the risk of this very serious lung infection: ASPERGILLOSIS 

Use these resources

• MOLD DOCTORS - ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
• MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES
• MOLD ILLNESS GUIDE
• MOLD & ENVIRONMENTAL TEST LABORATORY SERVICES forensic, environmental, or mold tests analysis

Watch out: see your doctor promptly and before doing anything else