If you are renting an apartment or a house for the first time, you should view the apartment before you move in and make note of any damages that might already exist in the apartment. For most people this is common sense, but if this is your first time renting, you might not think about it until later on when the landlord tries to say that damage that existed before you moved in was actually caused by you afterward.
If there is any water damage to the kitchen or the bathroom, take pictures of it and show it to the landlord before you move in. Date the pictures and if possible, have your new landlord sign them. If your landlord will not put his signature on the back of the image, be wary about renting from him or her.
If you discover that mold is growing in the apartment shortly after you move in, you will want to inform your landlord immediately that there is a problem. Do not wait. If it is caused by wet clothing or towels that you left on the floor of the bathroom for several days, then the landlord is not likely to be very sympathetic to the problem, but if it is on the ceilings or in the ventilation system, then it is probably not due to anything you have done since you have been in the apartment.
The first thing that you need to do after you discover mold is growing in your apartment or rented home is to notify the landlord immediately. Do not do this by phone, do it by certified mail so that you have a legal record that the letter was received. If your landlord does not contact you or come over to see about the problem, send another notice via certified mail. Tell him that you are withholding your rent until the problem is addressed. If the complaint is still not acknowledged, send yet another letter via certified mail and tell him that you are moving out within a certain amount of time and he will be liable for your moving costs and rent differential if he does not take action.
It is the landlord’s responsibility to provide you with a safe and healthy place to live. Repairs on the facility must be kept up because even after you leave, these problems will still exist on the property. It makes no sense for you to repair something that does not belong to you if you were not the one who was responsible for its damage.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
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