Repairs, Maintenance Renting a place with mold

[ard2005]

My husband and I live in a duplex home with our 8 year old son. We have had mold in the ceiling of our shower since we moved in 3 years ago. It has gotten worse and with a baby I am more cautious about things like that, that could affect his health (as our pediatrician said it could). We have asked her multiple times to come and look at it and get the response to just wipe it away. So we do.... well we try however, the mold does NOT wipe off! So after some persistants she decided to come look at our bathroom as well as our neighbors. Come to find out before we lived here our neighbor did and she was contacted about the mold in his home. She had contractors come in to fix it but when they took the sheetrock out they had waaaaay too much mold to deal with and said it was out of their hands needing a specialists and they backed out of the job. She then just had someone come in and put sheet rock back over it. So now knowing this I am VERY concerned as to how much mold is around all of the walls in the bathroom. ESPECIALLY because our 8 month old sons bedroom shares a wall with bathroom.

Her fix for the mold this time is to paint over it with mold killing paint. (mind you this mold is very aggressive and can STILL be seen through this paint). What can I do as a tenant in this situation? I mean I can pretty much assume that mold is EVERYWHERE and a specialist is what is needed to fix the problem and not just put a bandaid over it. However what if I am wrong? We also are unable to use our shower for a week with about an hours notice and we have to use our basement shower that is a gross unfinished basement FILLED with bugs with cement floors in the winter..... needless to say I am NOT happy and VERY concerned for my son!

I would appreciate any help and/or advice given!

 

[army judge]

Your state (MN) has an agency that attempts to address concerns about renters with mold in their living abode.
In all actuality, there is very little that can be done about a moldy rental housing unit, except to vacate it.

There is very little that the state can do, or has the ability to do.
This is the case in MOST of the USA.

I suggest you read your lease.

You indicate that you've lived in this unit for three years.

You have placed yourself in a difficult position.

But, there is very little that can be done except to contact your local health department and see if they choose to investigate.

You other option is an expensive and lengthy lawsuit.

This often ends in frustration, you spending money with little to show for it, and the ever increasing quantities of mold accumulating.

I suggest you read the lease, give the required notice to vacate the unit, start hunting new housing, and eventually move.

There is NOTHING that anyone can do, except to warn you that mold isn't good for you.

As you start your search for new housing, make sure you thoroughly investigate the premises you are interested in renting or buying.

Hire a professional to inspect the premises, if you have any doubts about the property's safety and/or cleanliness.

If you have ANY doubts, just don't rent there.

Look far, search hard, take your time, and get ready to vacate and move.

As with most government stuff, they take your money and just talk a good game, even in Minnesota!

Here is their website:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/mold/renters.html

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

OP, you do understand (perhaps not) that most "mold" is simply mildew and is often found in warm moist places such as bathrooms...especially if these bathrooms do not have ventilation such as ceiling fans or windows to let out the moist air from showers or tub baths. This mildew is not "deadly" (there are literally thousands of different varieties of mold) but often will discolor drywall or grout.

Bleach will temporarily remove it but a good mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water is a more effective method of killing it. However, if your bathroom remains warm and moist from showers, it is likely this will return. Because it is found on the bathroom ceiling your assumption it must the "everywhere" is incorrect. Unless you have leaks in walls, there is not going to be mold growing normally.

Gail