Mold Help, Tenant Issue
Hello, We let our tenants use the basement.. There was a flood and their rug got wet. We asked them on a few occasions to get the rug cleaned or thrown out or just taken care of. They told us that they would handle the situation and we did not give it a second thought….
Hello,
We let our tenants use the basement.. There was a flood and their rug got wet. We asked them on a few occasions to get the rug cleaned or thrown out or just taken care of. They told us that they would handle the situation and we did not give it a second thought.
Our second thought came yesterday when we went downstairs and moved something on the rug and discovered that the carpet was covered in mold and mildew.
I called a bunch of mold services and they all had people answering the phone telling me of course I should use their services.
I also discovered 550 dollars is the standard mold testing fee..
So, my question is, do you think it is the responsible move to get the basement tested because of a moldy carpet?
Do, I charge my tenants for this or take it from their security deposit.
Is their a mold place that is less than 550 bucks or any other suggestions for removing mold from my basement.
I am really looking for people’s perspectives and advice.
Thanks,
Daniel
Yes, it seems to some of us that you are overly pissed about a moldy rug which you can toss. There’s more to the story – you have an unhappy history with your tenant / “friends”.
“we are renting the garden level to our friends.. I feel as though they are taking advantage of the fact that we are friends..
For example, I received a phone call that we “had to call a plumber” because the toilet was clogged.. I went downstairs and with in 2 seconds unclogged their crap filled toilet with a plunger.. ”
http://bstoner.wpengine.com/forum/archives/2010/06/whats_expected.php
Generally speaking, tenants care less about LL’s property than their LL’s do. As of right now, it’s only a moldy rug. And obviously it’s not enough of a problem to bother tenant into tossing it themselves. Sounds like you are pissed off more at yourself for offering them the space when in return you got negligance. Tell them you are tossing out the rug if they don’t pay to get it cleaned by X date. Anything more drastic will begin to deteriorate your relationship.
The rug didn’t cause any other mold issues, the flood did. If the tenants didnt cause the flood then it is way overreacting to try to charge them for “mold abatement” services.
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You are saying that if they decided to start a mold farm as a side project, they would not be at fault. We told them our concerns about mildew and mold. They told us they were going to solve the problem and here we are five months later with mold in the basement. And you are saying it’s overreacting?
You are certainly entitled to your point of view.
The rug didn’t cause any other mold issues, the flood did. If the tenants didnt cause the flood then it is way overreacting to try to charge them for “mold abatement” services.
“Do, I charge my tenants for this or take it from their security deposit”? Unless they did something foolish to cause the flood, I’d say no. Of course, we don’t know what your agreement / lease states, but I’d say toss the carpet, get it clean & dry and call it a day.
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I was thinking what was foolish was they have let this rug sit there and get covered in mold for the last 5 months.. If they would have removed the rug or had it cleaned after the basement got flooded, there wouldnt be this issue..
Agree with the others. It’s overreacting to think it’s worse than just the carpet without seeing mold elsewhere. That said, if there was a flood and drywall and/or insulation also got wet then you will have mold there too.
Dehumidifier is a good idea also, only really needed during summer. Unfortunately, it will add significant $$ onto elec bill. Just something to consider if the basement space is on tenant’s ConEd bill.
“Do, I charge my tenants for this or take it from their security deposit”? Unless they did something foolish to cause the flood, I’d say no. Of course, we don’t know what your agreement / lease states, but I’d say toss the carpet, get it clean & dry and call it a day.
Tenants use the basement how? If it’s typical basement use (like storage & laundry) I’d tell the tenants you’re throwing the carpet out, unless they take care of it by a specified date. Save the $550 on mold inspection and get some cleaning done (^water & bleach) and get a dehumidifier (or more than one if needed). If the space is clean and dry and it doesn’t flood again you’ll probably be OK.