Tenants are entitled to a safe and healthy living space, but the presence of toxic mold in rental homes is a common problem that can impact your health and destroy your property. Learning the steps to take if you are exposed to toxic mold in a Los Angeles rental property can help you protect your family’s health and your rights as a tenant.
The proper reporting procedures provide vital documentation regarding your landlord’s actions and can be used as evidence if necessary. If you have ongoing issues with mold in your rental property, an experienced toxic mold lawyer could help you pursue legal action. Our legal team at the Law Offices of Gerald S. Ohn, APC could help you hold your landlord responsible and file a claim for compensation for medical expenses and other costs of mold-related injury or illness. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Finding mold can be a nightmare for tenants. Worries about exposure, health concerns, and possible relocation can quickly become stressful. However, it is not the tenant’s responsibility to eradicate mold. Landlords are required to maintain a habitable living space for their tenants. When mold is reported, landlords are required to promptly address the concern, conduct necessary repairs and remediation, and ensure the property is free of health hazards. A Los Angeles tenant who finds mold in their rental property should take the following steps to document and report the problem:
All documentation and complaints regarding the presence of mold should be clearly dated to establish a timeline. The documentation can be valuable evidence in settlement negotiations or a court trial regarding uninhabitable living conditions.
While tenants have the right to a safe and habitable living environment, enforcing these rights is not always easy. It is common for landlords to threaten tenants with eviction or apply quick fixes, such as painting, that do not remediate the danger.
An experienced toxic mold lawyer has in-depth knowledge of local habitability regulations and mold identification. Your Los Angeles attorney could explain what to do after finding mold in your rental property and help you gather evidence to show that mold exists in the unit and that the landlord failed to take appropriate action. If mold-related health issues are a factor, a skilled attorney could negotiate for compensation for medical expenses and lost wages.
Understanding the steps to take if you are exposed to toxic mold in a Los Angeles rental property can help you protect your health and your rights as a tenant. Unfortunately, landlords do not always comply with habitability laws that ensure a safe and healthy home for tenants. If you have mold in your rental property and your landlord will not take reasonable actions to eradicate it, the toxic mold lawyers at The Law Offices of Gerald S. Ohn, APC can help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
