Mold in a rental home: what tenants and landlords can do

Mold in rentals, for tenants and landlords

A note before you start

We’re a mold testing and remediation company, not a law firm. Tenant and landlord law is set by states, and often by cities and counties too, and it changes. Everything on this page is general and practical. For anything involving rent, deposits, lease terms or moving out early, check your local rules and consider talking with a tenant attorney or a legal aid office.

Documenting mold the useful way

Good documentation helps everyone, including a landlord who wants to fix the problem. Aim for records someone else could understand without you there to explain them:

• Photos from three distances: the whole room, the wall, and a close-up. Include something for scale, like a coin or a tape measure.
• Dates. Your phone stores them, but write them in your log too.
• The water story. Any leak, drip, overflow, window condensation or flooding you’ve noticed, and when.
• Smell. Where it’s strongest and when it’s worse.
• Humidity readings. An inexpensive hygrometer turns “it feels damp” into a number.
• Your belongings. Photos of anything affected, before you clean or discard it.

What to put in your written notice

Keep it short, factual and calm. Say where the mold is, roughly how large an area, how long you’ve noticed it, and any water source you know about. Attach a few photos. Ask for the source to be found and fixed and the affected area to be properly cleaned, and ask when you can expect someone. Send it in a way that leaves a record, such as email or a tenant portal, and save a copy. If your lease names a specific way to send notices, use that method as well.

For more on getting a response, see our answer on how to get your landlord to fix mold.

Where to find the rules that apply to you

Where to look	What it can tell you
Your lease	How to give notice, who handles repairs, whether mold or moisture is mentioned
City or county housing code	Habitability standards and how to request an inspection
Local health department or code enforcement	Whether they handle indoor mold or moisture complaints where you live
State attorney general or housing agency	Tenant and landlord guides for your state
Legal aid office or tenant attorney	Advice on your specific situation, including rent and lease questions

When someone in the household is sick

Waiting on a repair is harder when a family member is working with a doctor on mold illness. Keep the medical side with the doctor and keep the building side factual. Testing can give both you and the landlord something concrete to work from, and a written report is harder to dismiss than a description. If you’re weighing whether to leave, our remediate or move decision guide covers the home side, and if you do move, plan how your belongings will be cleaned before they go into the next place.

For landlords and property managers

A mold complaint handled well usually costs less than one handled late. Respond in writing, get the unit inspected, find and fix the moisture source, and have the affected area properly remediated rather than painted over. In multifamily buildings, containment matters because dust and moisture can move between units. Keep the testing and clearance reports in the unit file. They document what you did if questions come up later, and they show a future tenant the problem was dealt with properly. Our page on mold remediation for apartments and rentals covers multifamily projects in more detail.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Tenant and landlord rules vary by state and city, so please check your local rules or talk with a tenant attorney. We remove mold and mycotoxins from buildings. We don’t diagnose or treat medical conditions, and anyone with symptoms should work with a doctor. With your permission, we’re glad to share test results and our plan with them.