Mould in rented premises is a common cause of frustration and disagreement between property managers, landlords and tenants. All parties involved want the problem fixed but usually the blame is often put on the other party.
Mould is a fungi that needs moisture and organic material to grow. The spores released by mould can cause illness in some people. Structural damage to the property can also occur if left untreated for a period of time.
The cause of the mould problem in the property needs to be determined first. Is there a structural fault such as a leaking roof or a leaking water pipe that is causing the mould issue? If so, the landlord needs to fix this cause and have the mould removed so that it doesn’t keep re-occurring. Is the tenant failing to ventilate the premises by opening windows or operating the exhaust fan in the bathroom? If so, then the tenant needs to educated on this so that the mould doesn’t keep re-appearing.
The Residential Tenancies Act 2010 states:
A tenant must:
- Keep the premises reasonably clean;
- Tell the landlord about any damage to the premises as soon as possible;
- Mitigate loss by taking reasonable steps to limit or avoid loss.
A landlord must:
- Provide the premises reasonable clean and fit to live in;
- Keep the premises in reasonable repair (except where the disrepair is caused by the tenant breaching the Tenancy Agreement)
- Mitigate loss
The first step is to determine why the mould is occurring in the first place. Then have this issue repaired or rectified and have the mould cleaned and removed by a professional.
Unless both these steps are taken there will be a continuing mould problem at the rental property.
Do you need expert advice on the cause as well as professional mould removal?
If your property is located in Sydney, Central Coast or Newcastle areas contact Mould Removal today on 0408 681034 or email info@mouldremoval.net.au.
