California’s landlords have a duty to provide inhabitable units for their tenants. When they fall short of this duty due to mold issues in the units that they own or manage, then they potentially face legal action. If you or someone you love has been exposed to toxic mold and suffered poor health or other damages as a result, our toxic mold exposure attorney at the Law Offices of John B. Richards is ready to fight for your right to receive just, fair compensation from negligent landlords, property managers, and their insurers.
Mold is not just an unsightly problem in your home or apartment. Mold can also be a detriment to your physical health since it serves as a trigger for asthma and other lung and respiratory illnesses. The mold-related disease is widespread and is a partial cause for the more than 40,000 people in California who are hospitalized each year due to asthma. In fact, the California Department of Public Health sees mold as such a threat that it issued a call to action for individuals to check “their homes, schools, and work environments for water damage, elevated humidity levels and mold contamination,” all of which can lead to the growth of mold.
Symptoms of toxic mold exposure to be aware of include coughing, stuffiness of the nose, wheezing, itchy or red eyes, sore throat, and skin rashes. Those exposed may also have frequent or recurring sinusitis.
In California, landlords have a duty to maintain the properties under their control in a manner that makes them habitable. Because toxic mold can lead to horrible and debilitating health problems, allowing a unit to remain infested by mold after discovering the mold problem or being apprised of it is a violation of the implied warranty of habitability that exists between a landlord and tenant. Landlords who fail to fix the issue of mold in their properties open themselves up to litigation.
The state of California requires that landlords be given 30 days to remedy any mold problem. After that time, a tenant who is living in a mold-infested unit can:
It is important that tenants living in mold-infested units attempt to mitigate their damages. For instance, if you find a mold that results from a leak in your apartment, you must report the leak to the landlord.
At the Law Offices of John B. Richards, we know just how sick mold can make people who are exposed to it—and how difficult it can be to deal with negligent landlords who fail to maintain the properties under their purview. Reach out to our San Luis Obispo toxic mold exposure attorney now for the help you need to hold your landlord accountable for your injuries or losses. Contact us for a free evaluation of your case by clicking here or calling 805-683-2736.