Mold Testing for Rental Properties

Tenants want to know their home is safe. The family member who spends the most time at home is usually the one who contacts us when they see or smell mold, or when they are having allergic reactions to something in their apartment, home, office, or building.  In some cases the tenant has genuine health concerns and the landlord refuses to acknowledge them. Renters are encouraged to research their rights pertaining to the local landlord/tenant law if they are wondering who will pay for mold issues and consider whether their personal cleanliness or negligence contributed to the problem.

Store bought mold test kits cannot be used in renter disputes, and the cost for a minimum of three Petrie kits per dwelling with lab fees adds up. In addition, most home test kit lab reports are blank or unexplained. 

Call us today for a Free Assessment.  We provide professional mold testing services that are non-biased with Certified lab reports together with our written inspection and recommendations. We encourage you to photograph our equipment readings as well as any visible mold or water damage for your tenant report, and at times, we will provide written statements for attorneys.

Schedule a mold test before a renter moves in to avoid future problems. Owners who care about their rental properties have a vested interest in maintaining a healthy environment for their tenants. When landlords request an inspection, we provide an objective, professional and cost effective solution. At times, tenants look for an excuse to break the lease, receive a refund, or sue the landlord, so when we are contacted by the tenant we try to determine their motivation. Most tenants are sincere, and have mold growth that needs remediation. However, we have found that some tenants were sabotaging the rental, causing mold to grow, to capitalize monetarily. Our position is not to condemn a property or force a landlord to do anything that he or she may not want to do. Our job is to provide data and documentation about the condition of the property at the time of the assessment. 

Contact Brad for a Free Consultation. Our investigative services include Certified lab reports, written inspection and recommendation, and if needed, photographs with a written statement for insurance and attorneys. We provide Multiple Property Discounts.

Residential and Commercial property owners and management services rely on Long-term renters to stay for the lease period. Call us for FREE Advise before you hire property maintenance, building contractors, and flood extractors who are not educated and qualified to abate or remediate mold from water damage. Tenant disputes will not be in your property owners best interest when the mold grows and becomes toxic. Keep your properties under contract maintained to

AVOID: 

• Tenant Complaints
• Medical Liability
• Property Damages
• Legal Disputes

If you have a vacation home or long-term rental property that might have water damage, moisture intrusion or mold, schedule a mold test or investigation before your guests arrive or tenants move in. It's best to error on the side of caution than to have negative reviews, or the cost to move the renter to a hotel during abatement, or evict a family because the owner wants to have the building remediated.

In Oregon, property owners, and management, are legally required to keep their rental liveable. That means that the landlord must make any repairs necessary to stop the growth of mold in the building. Maintenance suggestions:

• Make sure exhaust fans exit the roof, not into the attic
• Repair plumbing leaks and roof leaks
• Remove caulking, treat mold, dry, reapply caulking
• Repair cracks in windows, exterior siding, and rain gutters
• Make sure mini split is draining at the proper angle
• Contact micro certified mold remediation to properly remove mold or investigate the source of water intrusion and dry rot.

The tenant is also required by Oregon law and by rental agreement to do what they can to prevent mold growth. Here are a few suggestions:

• Clean and maintain interior, HVAC filters, window sills, and vents
• Keep all rooms heated, do not close off unused room
• Crack or open closet doors to allow air circulation
• Open windows on sunny days: "bad air out, good air in"
• Run exhaust fans in the kitchen, bath, laundry
• Keep items from touching the walls so that air circulates
• Reduce moisture in the air with a dehumidifier or hvac setting
• Wash and dry wet laundry, towels, and carpets

Report a mold issue in your rental building. "If you follow the steps suggested in exactly the order they are laid out and keep good records of all of the steps you take, it is more likely that you and your landlord will be able to reach a good resolution of the problem". - Oregon Renter's Handbook on Mold. 

REMEMBER: Do not use bleach, or soap, and water to clean mold on drywall, wood, and other porous materials, adding to the mold problem.

STEPS IN PACKET:

1. Clean and maintain property as outlined
2. Document visible mold with photographs
3. Follow guidelines for demanding repairs
4. Make a checklist for reporting a mold issue and demanding assistance with cleanup
5. Use the letters and forms to communicate about mold
6. Keep records of your written communications with your landlord