FAQs about Mold testing & inspection advice for renters.

Page top photo: water stains on cabinet bottom suggests a high risk, of hidden mold and water damage.

This article series describes a tenant's efforts to terminate a lease, move out of what is believed an unsafe, moldy apartment, and to obtain supporting tests and documentation for that purpose.

Mold Inspection, Test, Cleaning FAQs

These questions and answers about how to deal with a moldy rental home or apartment, including testing, landlord interactions, and mold cleanup companies were posted originally

at TENANT LANDLORD MOLD DISPUTE - be sure to check out the case report and our response including diagnostic suggestions found on that page.

We were hospitalized due to mold sickness after a ServPro mold contractor told us it was safe to be home during mold remediation following rain, roof leak, roof collapse!

Re-posting comment received by private email

In your article about workers coming in and making property and people sick recently happened to me Servpro came.

We asked landlords if it was safe for me to be here when they were doing water remediation they said to ask Servpro.

We told ServPro about our concerns for my health they said "oh your fine its safe for you to be in house" .

We had no idea what that meant at this point our roof had partially collapsed and rain came in all nitght, so mold they said they did not see.

They are supposed to be water and mold remediator and told us the roof had multible long term roof leaks and he only saw a 4 foot mMold colony which they removed then they plugged in air movers all over attic.

Mold was obviously rampant all over joists rafters and in my bedroom.

They drilled a hole in the wall were water came in all night, put noisy airm overs on supposedly we were supposed to listen and sleep with that level of noise 5 day straight im on oxygen well i video taped all the machines and noise had no idea .

2 days later I landed in hosptal very ill respiratory infection fever when i looked at video all the particles flying around were rediculous i did not see with naked eye .so afee week i came home had a no bias proffesional mold inspecror do state of art swab air samples main levels 8579.

Molds spores in air 6220 asp penn type attic almost 8000 basement almost 5000 .

My doctor said I can't be here gave me a letter documenting that the home was not safe for us.

The landlord loved us up until now.

Now they dont want to clean it up. When i rented this house I specifically asked if there was mold because I have severe COPD; they assured me there was no mold in our rental unit.

In all I did everything I was supposed to do to keep my health safe they are evicting me for not letting servpro finish killing me im on diability the LL asked me to sign a paper saying i would not sue them i refused they said get out had there lawyer send over breach of contract evict papers .

I cant live here anyway but ive payed rent for 2 months of this he says im the problem so i wanted to see if you had any info that pertains to my situation and have permission to use if needed thank you sorry no punctuation just im really tired of explaining and writing - Anon On 2018-05-27

Moderator Reply: COPD & Mold-sick tenant evicted

For each of the notes I give below, IF you have time and energy to read more thorough explanations, OR if you want to print more than just my email to give to people concerned, I can refer you to researched, authoritative articles on these points.

1. If a roof has been leaking a longtime, it's likely that there has been water movement through various building cavities and thus a higher risk of hidden mold contamination that can be a hazard to occupants. A thorough investigation by an expert who is independent from the mold cleanup company is important to have an objective view and advice from somoeone with no conflict of interest. That protects all parties.

2. If building occupants are at extra health risk such as people suffering from asthma, allergies, COPD, or immune system impairment (such as during cancer treatment) most experts advise that the occupants are NOT present during a mold cleanup / restoration job and that the occupants do not return to the building until it has successfully passed an independent expert clearance inspection and test.

3. If your building was contaminated by dust and debris that were not adequately contained and cleaned during repair work then unless there is clear proof that the building contents were not contaminated, when you move your belongings will need to be cleaned before they are brought to the new residence. Otherwise there is risk of bringing harmful particles into the new residence.

4. Serv-Pro is a very large mold and water damage restoration franchise.

While I have met very experienced, expert Serv-Pro project managers and supervisors, like all franchises I have found wide variation in the skill and expertise, thoroughness, and workmanship of the various crews actually performing the work.

Cutting holes along the wall bottom, top, or both, to try to blow air through or to "extract" water using that approach, along with dehumidifiers, has never once been successful in any property I have investigated.

Months later we virtually always have found mold contamination, often very extensive, in those cavities. The technique simply cannot dry the cavity fast enough nor can it remove mold contaminated insulation nor remove mold contamination already in place on those surfaces.

5. I'm not sure what sort of "air movers" were used at your job, but simply circulating indoor air, even through air scrubbers, while it helps dry out an area, will never ever be an effective substitute for actually physically cleaning moldy surfaces or removing and disposing of moldy materials like drywall, insulation, carpeting, that can not be cleaned effectively.

An air scrubber is no more effective at "removing " indoor mold contamination than standing in the kitchen and waving a vacuum cleaner wand in the air can remove dust bunnies from below a couch two rooms away.

You are welcome to print and share any of our correspondence that you find helpful.

These articles may be helpful

• MOLD HEALTH RISKS for TENANTS
• MOLD SAFETY ADVICE for TENANTS

What can I do about a moldy unsafe rental mobile home?

Hi. Ok, so my fiance and I along with our 2 daughters moved into this mobile home 2 yrs ago. The 3rd day we were here it rained and the roof started leaking in our oldest daughters bedroom. (mind you they have patched the roof prior to us moving in, and thats not even where the leaking is.)

I then immediatly emailed the front office about it. They came the next day and placed a tarp over it, which blew off a hour later due to heavy rain and wind. About half a yr goes by and it starts leaking in our youngest daughters room as well. Now, 6 months ago it started leaking in the living room.

Now it looks like the living room ceiling is going to cave in I can see the black mold growing in the holes of the ceiling.

The manager of the mobile home park has come by here (roughly a yr ago or so) and was told about the problem again. When we have gone and paid our rent to the office they have spoke up and said they would get someone by here to take care of it and still to this day noone has been by to look at it.

Now, mind you they have this "Gold Key Service" that they are "SUPPOSE" to do every month which requires them to spray for bugs, talk to the tenants about what might be wrong, check for leaks, etc... but, we have probably seen them maybe a total of 3 times this year. I get charged $15.00 a month for this service that I dont even get or use.

Because, I find it pointless for them to do anything like that, considering I have been here for 2 years and not one thing has been fixed by them.

They have come in once or twice and both times they have left and the next day I have a note on my door about replacing something in my home that was messed up. I replaced it and noone has even come to see if it had been replaced. I get notices on my door about Gold Key every month and never see them. Not to meantion notes about replacing some blinds.

I have never been late on a payment and I always pay over the amount I have never been late on a payment and I always pay over the amount thats due. To top it all off this month my daughter placed the rent payment in the mailbox instead of the drop box by accident. Luckily, the mail lady found it 4 days later.

Which made me late, of course. They charged me an additional 150.00 and went ahead with the eviction.

I had to return my daughters christmas gift to the store just to keep from getting evicted. Now, I am not the one to complain about things over and over but, with all things considered, right is right and wrong is wrong. What can I do about this? On 2017-12-17 by Nichole

by Mod

Sounds as if you need to notify the property management in writing that your home is unsound and unsafe and ask them to give you an alternative habitable place to live.

Landlord said just wash of my moldy home with bleach.

I want to know what I can do about mold growing in my home I rent. I told the management company and they said just was it off with bleach I did but it is growing in the wall. Im worried if I keep telling them they're gonna find a reason to make me move before

I get a chance to get what I feel is owed to my family. Seven I've moved in four years ago I've been a god renter but I've notice my health condition have went to none to all kinds. I feel it because of this mold. How do I start. I trued talking to my Dr they don't seem to know anything concerning this. They said to find out if the home has the mold first. What do I do On 2017-12-12 by Anonymous

Reply by (mod) - "Treating" mold on drywall, paneling, carpets and similar surfaces is ineffective.

Anon

"Treating" mold on drywall, paneling, carpets and similar surfaces is ineffective.

Some surfaces like drywall cannot be cleaned and must be removed, the wall cavity cleaned, and then restored.

IF your home has a large area of moldy surfaces, more than 30 sq.ft. then professional cleaning i susually needed.

Your landlord is absolutely correct that if the home is dangerously moldy throughout or in most areas or in areas that cannot be avoided by occupants, you cannot be in the space during such mold remediation since that process requires some demolition, dust and air movement control, and extensive cleaning, and because much higher levels of airborne dust and debris and mold are created during such cleanup work.

The question of to what you are entitled is a legal one, probably depending on your lease and on rental laws where you live - questions beyond our expertise and ones you need to ask of a lawyer or a legal aid service.

I had to force my landlord to have my apartment inspected/tested for mold

I found mold in my apartment but had to force my landlord to have my apartment inspected/tested for mold. The inspector confirmed there was mold in the air.

My doctor told me to get the test results but my landlord refuses to give me a copy of the test results. By law does he have to give me a copy of the results. Please answer promptly as this is an urgent matter.

Thank you, JACK PETTIE On 2017-02-05

Reply by mod

Jack:

You ask a very understandable question, but a legal one on which we're not an authority. In my OPINION the landlord ought to give affected people copies of a "mold test" report if that information would be important to their doctors in treating for mold related or other respiratory or other illness.

Keep in mind too that most "mold tests" are very inaccurate, particularly when a mold problem is suspected in an area but not detected by the test.

Can I sue my landlord over mold contamination?

Can i sue a landlord for mold? (July 8, 2014) Anonymous

Reply: focus first on health and safety

Anon that's a question for you and your attorney.

However in my OPINION (I'm not an attorney) a landlord is usually obligated to provide safe, habitable housing.

Watch out: don't get so distracted by lawsuits that you forget what's most important: focus first on making sure that you are safe and healthy.

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• UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT, CAN'T LEAVE - what to do
  

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