how can i break my lease because of black mold in my house?

Question

i lost my lease agreement and we didnt notify the landlord in writing about the mold, we called him on numerous occasions. there is mold on the whole wall of our washer on and inside the wall, my boy friend removed most of it with his hands and sprayed the rest down with bleach and water but it keeps comming back. there was a lique from the washer and dryer hookups that we fixed because the land lord never did and that is why the mold is there. from the looks of it it had been there since before we moved in, thats just estimated because of how much was there, with it being halfway up the wall and at least 4 feet accross and imbeded in the wall. the wall was also so soggy my boyfriend had to bairly touch it for it to break and the mold was seeping through. im allergic to mold and there is no regulations in idaho on mold and i called the health department already and there is nothing they can do. what should i do?

Answer 1

if you have already contacted the landlord/lady...move forward and contact the land OWNER..............they will want to avoid lawsuits at all costs... 20 years ago the laws were more for protection of the owner of the building/property. But nowadays...it is all about the renters rights. At least in California and other west coast states....contact a local title company such as "chicago title company" "fidelity title company" or ANY title company. Ask for "CUSTOMER SERVICE" tell them that you want the owners NAME and MAILING address to the address to where you live. This is all public information. Ask if there is also a phone number listed. I guarantee you will find the information you desire. Write or call the owner. They will be more helpful than the landlord. Sometimes its just hard to get through. They may be deadbeat landlords....so get to the owner.......ALSO...something odd to consider is this....if you have poor credit/ or an eviction already on your records...........just DONT PAY... legally they will have to evict you. I am so familiar with this procedure..... just contest it to the judge and you will end up with about a years worth of free rent. I dont at all know your situation... but I am sure that the first portion of this message will help you (title company) ALSO...ask for coppies of your rental information. There should be no problem in getting you coppies. ALso if the landlord wont...this is like TWO strikes going against them. Make complaints to the owners. You definately have rights and should NOT have to put up with this. I hope you do well. Good luck!

Answer 2

You cannot break your lease over mold UNLESS you can prove that it is causing a health issue. You should press your landlord to remove the part of the wall which has been softened by the mold/leak, and properly replace it. Then you must insure that you keep moisture levels under control (no leaks or excessive damp air with any regularity). With the proper attention and a bit of work, this mold will not re-appear. Mold needs moisture to grow. Get rid of the moisture and the mold goes away.

Answer 3

You can easily remediate the black mold (mildew) behind your washer and dryer by wiping the wall with a solution of water mixed with 25% common household bleach. Sodium hypochlorite kills mold spores. To prevent further growth of this mold, you will need to control the moisture levels where you currently have molds. Mold spores will NOT grow without a moisture source Assuming the new shower does not leak, the mold existing on the particle board underneath the shower will die from lack of moisture.

Answer 4

You need to contact the local house authority for the process. Different states have different rules for landlords/renters.

I would suggest that you let the landlord know in writing what the problem is. Make sure it is sent with return reciept requested. They will have to sign for it, you'll get a copy of it.

Take pictures to document the mold.

Answer 5

Put it IN WRITING that you have tried to get him to fix the mold several times and he hasnt and if it isnt taken care of in X amount of days you will be vacating the primises and using the remaining balance of the rent owed on doctor bills. Then have it mailed to him be certified mail. Keep a copy of the letter for yourself. That should work. Show him you arent putting up with his bs.
Good luck!!!

Answer 6

There may be a regulation on rental abodes and the duties of the lessor to repair any and all defects. If so, report him/her. Also, get a medical allergy report from your physician and inform the lessor that he/her will face a lawsuit if he/her will not repair the problem or dismiss the lease.