The presence of mold in your rental property can cause health problems for your tenants, and if you don’t take care of it right away, a lot of liability for you. There are legal requirements that must be considered, and if mold is a problem in your rental property, you need to manage it quickly and completely.
Disclosing Mold in Rentals
California law requires residential landlords to notify tenants in writing of any mold that’s present in a building, even if their particular unit is unaffected. You’ll need to disclose the presence of mold to current and prospective tenants when you know that it’s there. The Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001 sets legal standards for how much mold is permissible indoors.
Detecting Mold
Mold isn’t always easy to identify. It comes in different types of spores and can be different colors and patterns. Usually, it’s black, white, green, or grey. It could look like a powdery substance, but sometimes it’s shiny. You might be able to see it on walls and windows, but it can also hide behind the walls and under the floors. Damp materials and wet surfaces often attract mold. Not all mold is harmful to a person’s health. However, you’ll need an expert to determine what kind of mold you’re dealing with, and how best to remove and prevent it.
Be Proactive in Removing Mold
Maintain a habitable home for your tenants that is free from mold. You can do your best to prevent this problem by regularly inspecting ceilings, floors, basements, and attics. Maintain the structural integrity of your property, including the plumbing, the windows, and the roof. Train your tenants in what to look for, encourage them to report mold suspicions right away, and put terminology in your lease about how to keep moisture from getting into the home. Controlling moisture indoors will go a long way towards preventing mold. When you call someone to eliminate the mold that has been detected in your How to Deal with Mold in Your Rental Property – Professional Property Management in Long Beach, CA property, make sure you also address the water or moisture issue that caused it. Otherwise, you’ll have a mold problem again.
We work with professional mold companies all the time, and we can help you quickly address a mold problem and eliminate toxic mold from your rental home. If you have any questions about mold or property management in Long Beach, please contact us at CMC Realty.