Water has been dripping from the unfinished kitchen ceiling...?

Question

through the open beams, insulation, whenever it rains, the water drips into a bucket, sometimes 2 to 4 buckets, sometimes it misses and lands on the unfinished kitchen plywood floor, this has been going on for one year, the landlord tried to patch the outside roof 4 or 5 times in the past year, but he is not successful

1. How long does it take mold to grow in this situation?
2. How do I know when it is dangerous, colors? tell-tale signs?
3. Is there some kind of protection for tenants living in an unhealthy atmosphere?
4. I sneeze frequently whenever I go in the kitchen!
5. Should I take him to Small Claims Court?
6.Should he get next months rent?

We are in the rainy season.

Answer 1

I'm a microbiologist and had a mold problem (mold is NOT my specialty)...

1. How long does it take mold to grow in this situation?

Soon, days to weeks...

2. How do I know when it is dangerous, colors? tell-tale signs?

Red mold and black mold is not good.

3. Is there some kind of protection for tenants living in an unhealthy atmosphere?

Yes, you should not have mold growing in you home, I would look on www.cdc.gov look up mold.

4. I sneeze frequently whenever I go in the kitchen!

Probably psychological, but a moldy house is not good for you.

5. Should I take him to Small Claims Court?

Look at www.epa.gov and www.cdc.gov and get some facts, then decide.

6.Should he get next months rent?

Yes, if you are going to take him to court, keep paying rent and include that in you filing (and tell him you are payin in protest, but keep paying).

Answer 2

Obviously you have a leak.

Mold does not take long to get started and once in place it is hard to get rid of. Fortunately most mold is harmless. However a small percentage of people are highly allergic to some types. You can get a test kit at your local hardware store.

Also a landlord should not be renting anything that remains unfinished. You can already see the problem.

I would check with your City/town building department to see if they have adopted building codes. There is an International Property Maintenance (BOCA) Code that addresses this situation for tenants.

Legally you can withhold your rent as long as you officially notify your landlord about the problem. Your local building department will help you with this.

If no corrections are addressed or if you are threatened with eviction for complaining and you have the proper paper trail you should file a complaint in your District Court. Most judges are very sympathetic to such a situation.