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When Flat Chat reader Melissaimee told her rental agent that there was terrible mould in her flat, he had a brilliant idea … she and her partner should leave a humidifier on all day and night.
“The apartment has high ceilings, no windows and only massive glass doors which cannot be left open during the day as they have no screens and we both work full time,” Melissaimee says.
“There is mould growing on most of the walls and we have lost a few appliances and items of clothing to it. Our real estate agent’s solution was to leave a dehumidifier on 24/7 which is not really financially viable or something we feel we should have to do. “
So what can they do? Well, the landlord has a duty to maintain the unit in reasonable repair and that clearly is not happening.
Basically, the tenants can apply to Fair Trading to end their tenancy without penalty, or they can demand that necessary repairs are made, they can apply for a rent reduction for the period this affects them and they can ask for payment for the replacement of their damaged goods.
Renters in NSW can click HERE for a factsheet on mould in a rental property. Click on this link if you rent in the ACT. The Victoria Health department’s factsheet on mould reiterates the advice that mould is the landlord’s responsibility but the tenant is required to keep the home adequately ventilated. This factsheet for WA mentions tenants right at the end. There’s also an authoritative article on mould HERE on the tenantsrights.org.au website but the links at the end may be out of date. For links to tenants advice services in your area, go HERE.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
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