Stern Mold

Landlords should always take mold seriously but, unfortunately, not all of them do. Mold can spread very quickly and cause serious health problems. People tend to think of mold as a problem that strikes in wet climates, but the truth is that mold can happen just about anywhere. A spill that isn’t cleaned up quickly, or a leak that is left unattended can both lead to a serious problem.

Is Mold A Landlord’s Responsibility in New York City?

You might be tempted to think of a mold problem as being your landlord’s responsibility, but if you live in New York City, you’ll be surprised to find out that it’s not. There are currently no federal laws that require landlords to act quickly or even at all if one of their properties has a mold problem. However, the city is in the process of making it much easier for tenants to report issues with mold. They are also giving tenants information about what they can do expedite the process of getting mold treatment when it is needed.

Recommendations for Tenants

If a tenant feels that mold treatment is needed, there are some steps that can be taken to encourage the landlord to take care of the problem. Tenants can do one of two things:

1. Withhold their rent money until the mold problem is taken care of.

2. Repair the mold problem and deduct the cost of the repairs from the amount of rent that is usually paid.

Both of these are acceptable. If you have a serious mold problem, know your NYC tenant rights for mold, and contact Stern Mold to get a quick resolution.