Mold in my rental house

[Nepix]

Hi everyone...


To start out my post, I need your input on a renting issue. I recently have found out from the doctor that I have a staph infection. When I came home from the doc, I was sitting on my couch and I looked up at the wall and I saw a small maybe foot long patch of mold. Curious, I got up and walked around the rest of my house to find it in the bathroom on the ceiling, and outside on the underside of the patio roof. Anyone have an Idea of what my options are? I called me landlord and he told me that the staph isnt caused my mold and that I probably have a dirty house, I told him that he wasn't a doctor and he blew me off. After reading around on some internet sites about the California rental agreements, I have found that he has to fix it, or I can withhold the rent but I would like to make a bigger dent than that to this landlord any ideas?

[yamahonkawazuki]

can you elaborate on teh bigger dent? i.e cost landlord more? or?

[Jughead]

On the Inside try Spraying Peroxide on the Mold that you See (Even in Places that you can't see).I think He is right Staph isn't Caused from Mold.Staph is a Bacterial Infection and is Easily Contacted these days.They were Having one Hell of a Time from Staph infections in North Carolina Schools a couple of Months Ago.

#1 Keep your Cool.Talk to Him like He is a Human.You'll get alot Farther.Show Him in Writing that He has to do Something.Both of you Look for the Source of the Mold.More than Likely it is Coming From Water Entering Somewhere.Come to An Agreement Somewhere and see if He will Knock off money from your Rent for Cleaning it up yourself.Clean Absolutely Everything in Peroxide.Bleach water will work but in my Experience it only sterilizes the Surface for more mold to Grow.If it's warm Open your Windows to Air your House/Apartment out.Mold loves Moist Stale Air.

From the Sound of it It looks like you may Have a Slight leak in your Roof but You Also say that you have it Growing on the Bathroom Ceiling.It sounds like you have a Venting Problem in your Bathroom Causing the Mold in the Livingroom and Possibly the Patio Roof where it's Likely the Vent Exits the House.Then Again it could be Something as Simple as Overgrowth of Plants and Trees on the Outside of the House.Check your Guttering to see if it's Plugged up and Also The Drainage Around the Outside to make sure it's doing it's Job.

[ohgood]

mold = water, either a leaky roof or poor ventilation

i won't allow the renter to spray walls with anything, or to paint. if there were a mold problem, a contractor will be called. that way there is no verbal agreement to cause problems, for me, or the renter.

the only time we've seen a mold problem is when the A/C was not run enough, and when the drain for the A/C was plugged.

there is no connection between the mold you've noticed and staph.

keep in mind, i'm actually on BOTH sides of the fence, renting a tiny apartment (that i will not even change a lightbulb in) and renting our old house, 700 miles away. renting sucks from both ends really, no one wins.

if your landlord won't have it cleaned  up to your satisfaction QUICKLY you've got a case for a quick cancellation of your lease. forget about getting any money out of it other than your deposit, unless you file a lawsuit, and then you're really gambling, with YOUR money on the front end.

hope i helped.

[anthonygs1000]

I live in up state NY there is a 400,000 dollar house in my aunts neighbor hood  it has black mold the people there were sick for over a year, there one year old baby almost died from it. The house is now empty the people are not paying mortgage and the bank will not take it back due to mold issues it has been 5 years now  If it is a cretin  type of mold it can kill you, spraying only get the surface not what's  in the wall you said the key word  you are renting  just  move if you have a lease take pictures call the board of health write a letter make a copy and send it certified mail so you will have a exit without getting sued and you will not DIE good luck anthony

[spc]

OK, Drs. Ohgood, jughead and yama........................did you even put any thought into your statements.  Google the subject, there is strong evidence that while the mold is not the direct cause of staph (they are seperate organisms) it is quite possible a secondary cause.  If mold is growing, other bacteria can too.  

Go back to your doctor, he went to school for a long time and his opinion is the one you want on this matter.  If he says there may be a link, get something in writing.

Have a building inspector come out and asses the 'liveability' of the house.  Send all your bills to the landlord.

[ohgood]

OK, Drs. Ohgood, jughead and yama........................did you even put any thought into your statements.  Google the subject, there is strong evidence that while the mold is not the direct cause of staph (they are seperate organisms) it is quite possible a secondary cause.  If mold is growing, other bacteria can too.  

Go back to your doctor, he went to school for a long time and his opinion is the one you want on this matter.  If he says there may be a link, get something in writing.

Have a building inspector come out and asses the 'liveability' of the house.  Send all your bills to the landlord.

no, i did not. but, apparently you did, but didn't provide any links to your findings, so i don't see how it's helped yet. (not being wise towards ya spec   )

suggesting the tenant hire inspectors and incure other expenses with the hope the landlord will actually pay them, wether out of the goodness of his/her heart, or by lawsuit is presumptuous.

sure, it would be great if the landlord had deep pockets, good morals, and connections to get the mess (if it is even a cause of an infection, no proof yet) cleaned up proper, pay all the incured fees/bills/etc but i doubt that's the case.

we live in FL, and there are mold problems here. if we leased a problematic house, and i suspected for a moment there were health issues, i'd break the lease, expenses or not. a temporary expense beats the heck out of the possible lasting health problems for the fam. would i hire expensive inspectors, lawyers and expert witnesses ? nope, other than the already paid rent, i don't know what a renter would stand to recoup. notice i said i don't know, not i KNOW the renter wouldn't.

don't pass judgement man, these are all opinions, not stabs.

[spc]

Most counties have building inspectors that will investigate these complaints, it is an unsafe living condition.  I've seen houses condemned due to mold.  I'm not suggesting he out of pocket any expense, I'm suggesting he get everything together and present his case to the landlord again before seeking outside legal assistance.

[Nepix]

alrighty so heres an update for everyone. spcterry was right, doctor said mold probably not the direct cause but definitley could be a secondary cause and I should have it tested. Landlord is telling me that the mold is my fault and the cost to remove it is going to come out of my deposit. thats bs but im playing this cool and not threatening him over the phone. I ordered some testing kits at this website i found in google concering rental units with mold in california . Now that I look back, ever since ive been in this house 2 months or so after I moved in, I have had some wierd skin condition stuff arise, atopic dermatitis and other stuff but we dont need to go into that topic.

Now im tempted to just drop the topic saying this is my last month living in the rental, Ive been looking at how much it costs to have a professional come look at it, and weather its worth fighting. The first thing is, its his rental his mold thats not comming out of my deposit. Im going to try to call him again or even meet with him keep my cool and tell him to fix the mold or else. I could also hire a building inspector to take a look at the house and call him out on things and then report it. or to just sprinkle sugar in the attic so the next tenants complain of ants

revenge could be sweet.

thank you everyone for your input so far

[yamahonkawazuki]

OK, Drs. Ohgood, jughead and yama........................did you even put any thought into your statements.  Google the subject, there is strong evidence that while the mold is not the direct cause of staph (they are seperate organisms) it is quite possible a secondary cause.  If mold is growing, other bacteria can too. 

Go back to your doctor, he went to school for a long time and his opinion is the one you want on this matter.  If he says there may be a link, get something in writing.

Have a building inspector come out and asses the 'liveability' of the house.  Send all your bills to the landlord.

and terry why you jumping my shaZam!? i asked him to elaborate a bit on his statement.  what the hell man

[spc]

shaZam! yama, didn't mean to throw you in there.  Just went back and re read.............. I was tired.