Apartment Mold: What are renters' rights?

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Apartment Mold: What are renters' rights?

WTSP - Tampa Bay's 10 News*

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?

s=rss & storyid=69623

Tampa, Florida – Redding is literally sick of dealing with a

mold problem in her apartment on W. Lambright Avenue in Tampa.

Mold is visible inside her water heater closet, evidence of an

ongoing problem Redding says she's been dealing with for two months.

" No matter what I did, no matter what cleaners I used, I couldn't

get rid of the smell, " Redding said. " It's a mildewy [sic], moldy,

musty kind of smell. "

Tuesday, the carpet in her bedroom closet was damp. Redding says she

first noticed there was a problem there about a month ago.

" One Saturday night… I happened to notice there was some water on my

garment bags. I walked in barefoot, and my whole carpet was

drenched. I moved my clothes back and happened to see that the whole

wall was green and black with mold, " Redding said.

She says management has worked with her to try to take care of the

problem. The next day, a maintenance man came to her apartment.

" [He] tried to spray it down with some bleach, and the minute he

touched it, the wall caved in, " Redding said.

Now, she's waiting on her landlord to allow her to move into a new

apartment.

Tampa Bay's 10 News was unable to contact Redding's landlord for

comment Tuesday.

If your landlord isn't helping your mold problem, you can:

Seek out a mediating agency. In Hillsborough County, that's the

Consumer Protection Agency. In Pinellas County, that's the

Community Development Department.

Seek a surety bond, which means you pay your rent to the courts

until your case is resolved according to Florida's Landlord-Tenant

Law. For the complete Landlord/Tenant Law, click here. For a

summary of the Landlord/Tenant Law, click here.

Know your rights as a renter. Utilize resources like Florida PIRG's

Renters' Rights Handbook.