Mold affects homes both old and new in the greater Boston area. For private homeowners, removing mold is up to their discretion because they own the property solely and do not rent it out to others. However, for those who are renting properties out to tenants,it’s important to understand how liable you are is your tenants claim there is a mold issue in your rental property.
Your Legal Responsibilities as a Landlord
At the moment, Massachusetts does not have a law stating that landlords are responsible for mold issues in rental properties. Mold prevention and mold remediation for rental homes does not need to be addressed by landlords in Massachusetts. However, tenants who believe their health has been affected by mold issues in the rental unit, or if tenants believe mold has severely damaged their possessions in your rental unit, they could end up taking you to court in order to obtain compensation to cover damages.
If a Massachusetts judge agrees that the landlord in question has negligently created a mold problem and has not taken steps to notify the tenants or continued the rent the property, then they could be liable to pay medical or property damage expenses. There have been documented court cases in while tenants have won a mold problem case against their landlord or rental company.
How to Prevent Legal Action & Future Mold Issues
In order to avoid legal issues in the future, it’s important to stay on top of any moisture-related issues. We recommend calling a mold inspection company to come to the property at least once a year to check for roof or basement leaks, ventilation issues and moisture problems throughout the home. If anything, this will keep your tenants happy and give them some peace of mind. Not only will this prevent your tenants from leaving, but also help you to make improvements to your property.
If your tenants have recently complained about moisture issues or any leaks in your rental property, contact Bay State Mold Removal today to discuss how we can help make your property safe and mold free.
