Law help in Redondo area, Mold, kids & lease (apartment, renters) - Los Angeles - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

Mike socal · 04-12-2009, 01:23 AM

Does anybody know of a lawyer in the southbay

To make a long story short, 2 toddlers, a wife, since we moved in discovered mold, paid to have it tested and bad news in the crawl space. I have had phemonia and my 3 year old has been sick, never new what a musty smel could do to people. Doctors don"t even have it all figured out.

If there is anybody that could recommend someone that knows about tenant, mold and how to get me out of this mess.

I know we have to leave, so we loose the security deposit $5,000, get sued for breaking the lease, pay a new security deposit, already spent $2,000 for inspections and air cleaners, and on top of that at the moment I am sick and just want to have fun with my kids again. And we have only been here for 2 mo nths.

God bless and my eternal thanks to anyone that can help.

Mike socal · 04-12-2009, 01:27 AM

I told the landlord that there must be mold and they just laughed. I wonder if I could prove that the mold has been the a long time.

bhcompy · 04-12-2009, 02:50 AM

first place to start would probably be the housing authority in your city.

JTGJR · 04-12-2009, 08:33 AM

If you paid to have it tested, by a reputable company, and it's positive, write a formal letter to your landlord and the city council. Also any tenant rights city organization. Include the results. And request a reply within a specific timeframe.

andyourlittledogtoo · 04-13-2009, 02:55 AM

I llved in an apartment with huge mold problems and left a year ago. The landlord renovated and re-rented the place for double what I paid at the time. I am wondering if he took care of the mold. What street are you on? Could be the same place...I'm in Oregon now and my severe breathing problems stopped within a week of getting here. I had no idea the mold in my apartment in Redondo was impacting me that severely until I left.

nmnita · 04-13-2009, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTGJR

If you paid to have it tested, by a reputable company, and it's positive, write a formal letter to your landlord and the city council. Also any tenant rights city organization. Include the results. And request a reply within a specific timeframe.

and enclose a copy of the written report. If you didn't get a written report, only the company's word for it, you may be out of luck unless you pay to have the test repeated.. Obviously your uncoopertive landlord isn't going to help you..good luck,

Nita

Mike socal · 04-13-2009, 07:01 AM

I paid for two companies and a estimate from a remedaition company. I also did 4 do it yourself tests, I am just trying to protect myself for when they try and sue us for leaving, as far as getting help, unless i am mistaken no one cares when you go to the gov agencies.

Also I am worried about presenting proof to landlord cause what I have found out is, removing it can make it worse unless done right.

nmnita · 04-13-2009, 07:43 AM

Mike, it is still going to boil down to having something in writing. If you have this and you have shown it to the landlord, but he refuses to do anything, you may be protected, if not, you may not be and might, indeed get sued. I would try, at least, to contact the renters rights organization or someone. I don't think any of us can answer your problems. As for it being worse if not done correctly, again, that could be true but I would doubt that will protect you from being sued.

Nita

Mike socal · 04-14-2009, 10:43 PM

I have it all in writing, and had fire dept, health, building and safety and the health department, who found that the building was in violations. Plus my own test, a mold testing company, a remediation company and plenty of pictures, but yet I still wonder what is going to happen. As we still do not have a place yet. I could sleep on a rock, but two kids and wife. There should be someone that looks over everything and decides what is fair.

pasadenabob · 04-15-2009, 02:42 PM

Mike, I was in a situation like yours. I lived in a place where my wife and I were sick for months and my cat died from mold. Since you have kids, you should focus on getting into a new place as quickly as possible. You will be amazed at how much better you all feel when you get out of there.

This isn't legal advice, but it's what I did. I paid a lawyer to write a letter saying why I was moving out. The landlord returned some of my deposit to the lawyer and never attempted to sue for future rents. We were going to sue the landlord in small claims for the remainder of the deposit, but I decided to just cut my losses and put the situation behind me.

In my experience, no city or county services helped me or cared.