Management/super left leak leaking for a few days... (apartment, home)

[Peanuttree]

Sunday night, I notice water leaking into my apartment in one spot. It's coming through the ceiling and running down the wall.

I call monday, tell them.

I call Wednesday, lady who does my building has no answer as to has done what, if anything. She claims they thought I said there was a leak in the lobby, an obvious lie. The super never does anything in a timely fashion and in general they all suck as property managers.

Thursday, I find out that what had happened was the faucet upstairs in another tenant's place was leaking or kept running or something, so that's what had caused it. I come home here Thursday 7:00 PM ish (I don't actually live in the place on the weekdays), and it looks dry enough.

What do you guys think?> It looks dry enough, I can't imagine mold might be an issue. The staining isn't bigger than it was on Sunday. It is possible that the super left it leaking for a few days, but it looks OK. Or is it possible there's water collected behind the stud space? Mold is my only concern.


can I write off the cost of a mold test kit from my rent, given these circumstances?

And this got me to thinking, since I had been planning (before I saw it was all benign) on at least getting a subcontractor to write a letter saying the proper procedure to prevent mold is to **** out the drywall, let everything dry a bit with a fan, then put up new drywall. Would a sub just do that if I asked him? Would it be legal to pay him to write that, if it's his honest opinion (since that truly is what you should do for best practice)? Or how about trading that letter, for a promise you'll use him to do the drywall replacement. Could I get the landlords to pay for the letter if I paid?

Anybody know those details? It got me thinking of that stuff in general

Pic follows

[nybbler]

Water's not going to collect in the stud space, it's not watertight. All you have to do is wait for the drywall to be thoroughly dry and have them prime and repaint. There's no need to tear down drywall for a simple leak of clean (i.e. not sewer) water.