Steps to Report Mold in Apartments

Mold found in your apartment has the ability to make you and your family sick. Certain types of mold are not only dangerous, but some of these mold can have fatal results. Under the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, your landlord is required by state and federal law to keep this property safe and habitable.

Steps to Report Mold in Apartments:

Step 1: Photograph every area of the apartment where you found mold. You will need four copies of each photograph. Keep these photographs in a safe location.

Step 2: Review your lease. Make three copies of your lease. Highlight the maintenance section of this lease with a yellow highlighter. In this section, it states that the landlord is responsible for all needed repairs for this apartment.

Step 3: Write a letter to your landlord. In this letter, state that you have found mold in the apartment. State the cause of this mold, if you know. List all locations in this letter where mold was discovered. State, in this letter, that you want the landlord to make the repairs necessary to prevent the production of more mold. You should also request clean up of existing mold in the apartment. Make four copies of this letter.

Step 4: Place one copy of this letter into three separate envelopes. Place one set of the photographs in each envelope. Place one copy of the highlighted lease in each envelope. You will send one envelope to your landlord, your county health department, and to the organization that owns the apartment complex. Keep a copy of the letter and the photographs for you records. Place your original lease in a safe location. Send the three envelopes by certified mail. The postal service will send you receipts proving that your letters were received.

The package sent to the landlord is proof that they are aware of this problem. By sending this package to the organization that owns the apartment complex, you are creating a safeguard. This safeguard will ensure that your landlord will do as requested. The owner will assume by receiving this package that you will take legal action. In light of this, they will do what is necessary to keep this out of court. By sending this letter to the health department, you have filed an official report that the apartment contains mold. This is a health hazard. The health department will follow-up on this health hazard, until it is remedied.