mould in rental property - whose responsibility?

[Biddy]

My mum came up with an idea to set up a national website where tenants can name landlords/agents who have treated them badly and share their stories, so others can avoid them and so landlords/agents can't get away with the same tricks all the time and have an incentive to improve their service. It would need to be regulated in some way but quite a good idea I thought.
There certainly needs to be something in place and enforced to prevent these things from happening repeatedly.
In other European countries regulations are very strict and are enforced. Landlords could never get away with the stuff they do here, or tenants for that matter!

[robyn]

Something has to happen, we're fast turning into a nation of renters, especially around London it's not just sharers/first jobbers who rent anymore, it's grown ups and professionals with families, people who won't put up with shoddy treatment so easily.
I'd happily rent for life if there were rent controls and security of tenure.

[andersenmiller]

We all know that mold is one of the newest environmental hazards causing concern among renters. Across the country, tenants have won multimillion-dollar cases against landlords for significant health problems -- such as rashes, chronic fatigue, nausea, cognitive losses, hemorrhaging, and asthma -- allegedly caused by exposure to "toxic molds" in their building.

According to me if the landlord doesn't take care of leaks and mold grows as a result, you may be able to hold the landlord responsible if you can convince a judge or jury that the mold has caused a health problem.

[andersenmiller]

Mold comes in various colors and shapes. The villains -- with names like stachybotrys, penicillium, aspergilus, paecilomyces, and fusarium -- are black, white, green, or gray. Some are powdery, others shiny. Some molds look and smell disgusting; others are barely seen -- hidden between walls, under floors and ceilings, or in less accessible spots, such as basements and attics.

With a few exceptions, landlord responsibilities regarding mold have not been clearly spelled out in building codes, ordinances, statutes, or regulations. Below is a discussion of the few states and cities that do have mold laws, and an explanation of how landlords can be held responsible for mold problems even absent specific laws governing mold.

Federal Law on Mold

No federal law sets permissible exposure limits or building tolerance standards for mold in residential buildings.

State Laws on Mold

Only a few states have taken steps toward establishing permissible mold standards. California, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and Texas are among the few that have passed laws aimed at developing guidelines and regulations for mold in indoor air.

Andersenenviro {link removed by Mod}
Environmental consultant

[EnigmaFish]

Just for the craic, I decided to approve (what I assume is) a spammer's post on mould. 'Cause every once in awhile, we all need an informational lecture on mould...

[LucyLastic]

Every day's a school day with our informative team of spammers. They just want to share their knowledge!

[sabrina fair]

Just for the craic, I decided to approve (what I assume is) a spammer's post on mould. 'Cause every once in awhile, we all need an informational lecture on mould...

Good call! I've learnt a lot