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My family and I have been having health problems, especially me and I believe it's due to the damp conditions and mold growing in parts of the house we are renting. The shower constantly drips and I was told by the handyman that they can't fix it because they'd have to tear the wall apart. But it drips constantly and a blackish green slimy mold is growing in it. I can't kill it with bleach and I shouldn't go near it as I'm very allergic. I have hives almost every day and an itchy rash that stops itching when I spend a lot of time away from home. I have a sinus infection right now as well. The lease on this place goes for almost a year more. My husband has texted the LL twice and no response. We also have electrical shorts where the lights in the kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom turn on only when they feel like it. The burners on the stove don't always heat up. The swamp cooler runs only on high as the low function does not work at all. The sprinklers don't all work and we spend extra money and water keeping the lawn nice. We have never been late with rent and keep the house nice. What can we do? Do we have grounds to break the lease?
Thank you so much for your help.
You need to send a certified letter to the landlord's mailing address listing the needed repairs. By law, (look it up in your state) he has x number of days to repair. If he doesn't, you can usually do the repairs and deduct the amount form your rent.
Again, look up the landlord tenant law in your state. It will specify what you do in this type of case.
You have signed a legal contract- a lease. You need to take legal steps first before you can even consider breaking it.
Likely your swamp cooler needs to be cleaned. I worked in a building once that had a swamp cooler (in Las Vegas) that probably hadn't been serviced or cleaned in years. I was literally sick with respiratory issues the whole time, several months, before it dawned on me what was probably the problem. (I was not used to swamp coolers)
I seriously doubt that the dripping shower head is causing the problem but it should be fixed. I've had a lot of repairs done and so far, never had to tear into the wall to fix (replace) a drippy shower head. That's why you call a plumber for plumbing issues and not a handyman.
What HollyTree said - send your LL a certified letter stating the repairs that are needed. Texting the LL? Likely he didn't answer because he does not text people. Amazingly enough, there are still people around without smart phones or refused to pay for data services w/ their cell phone.
Thank you both for your replies. I'm working on a letter now. We actually have texted him for other minor repairs and he's always been right on it. This is a much bigger deal though and I think he knew about this beforehand.
I suggest you just ask the LL for the repairs you want. I have to say, though, that you sound like high maintenance tenants from hell.
From a landlord's perspective, he'll probably comply with your wishes, then give you notice at the end of your lease. That's what I would do as an onsite manager.
On the other hand, if you want out of the lease, he may be glad to get rid of you. You could always ask to get out of your lease.
But,, since you said he's been responsive for other minor issues, why don't you see if he'll take care of your issues in a non-confrontational manner?
Grounds for breaking the lease...you should seek legal advice. You've described that the black, slimy stuff is in the shower head? And you can't go near it because you're allergic? How do you know? could be stress because you're afraid its affecting your health. You don't know what it is and you're not cleaning it. Could your husband clean it? maybe its just mildew that needs to be scrubbed out.
Your medical problems would have to be documented by a physician who surmises that your health is being affected by the living conditions if you were to take him to court.
I know this because I had a tenant claim that a 1/8" gap on one 4" plank where the hardwood floor met the wall was allowing "allergens" to "grow". She was pregnant and said she was "high risk" due to the "allergens". She stopped paying rent (she and her husband had a lot of outrageous claims) and we ended up in court. Her doctor did not address any allergens or high risk pregnancy in the documentation she provided. The judge laughed.
As far as the electrical issues? That's serious, and you need to request the repairs, in writing and certified. Your LL sounds like a slumlord, but you have to give him the chance to either fix it or ignore it before you take any more action. A dripping shower head should be an easy fix, but you should make sure you notify him in writing, certified and keep a copy. That way, he can't come back at you and say that you've neglected to inform him of the leak and now he's got wall damage, mold behind the wall, whatever. Everything documented.
There were mold spores in my urine and I've previously been allergy tested when in a similar situation. I've been to the doctor and had this documented. NoMoreSnow, since you're inclined to make snap judgements, the other minor repairs I'm talking about are having the plumbing COMPLETELY backed up to the sewer line in the street shortly after we moved in (caused by years of improper maintenance), 5 non-working electrical outlets, burners that didn't turn on in the stove, a leaky roof and chimney and a hot water heater that only worked when it felt like it. We haven't lived here long, are previous homeowners that kept our houses much better maintained, maintain this one as if it was ours, outside and in and have never been late with rent. We have repaired tiles that fell off the bathroom counters, carpet that wasn't tacked down, put new hydraulics on both screen doors, got the lawns from weedy messes into nice grass and planted flowers, had the trees trimmed, etc. The mold IS a major issue as there is evidence of water damage everywhere. We haven't lived here that long and we aren't nitpicky as you seem to suggest. We have only brought to his attention what we couldn't do ourselves. If that makes us tenants from hell, I guess you're a person I'd never want to rent from or even know in real life.
It's not just the shower head,but the neverending dripping in the shower, which is just a shower and not a bath tub, combined with no ventilation whatsoever in that bathroom, no window, no vent is causing mold that is lining the ceiling and covering the tiles. The ceiling can't be scrubbed because it disintegrates. I DID scrub it numerous times with different cleaning agents and get hives every time. I get hives in the shower whether or not there are cleaning agents and don't get hives using cleaning agents elsewhere. Thus, I can no longer shower in the house I live in.
Pickled Pink thank you for your reply. I think with my doctor willing to go to bat for me that should help.
I also want to mention that now that I've thought about, the only problems his handyman actually fixed right was the water heater. We still have to play with the stove to get it to come on and everything else was not working again within a week. I've been so concerned with the mold and so wiped out that it didn't occur to me.
Good point Kim, I have been too concerned with getting into some kind of trouble over it I think.
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