First of all, they’ll investigate to ensure you have a warranted complaint. A health inspector will be sent to the property to do the necessary inspections. They’ll even bring professionals if needed. They will inspect to see if there are health violations. While doing so, they’ll check if there are other violations you may have missed.
They’ll do the following based on the results:
| Action | Notes |
| Create and send a report. | This report will indicate all the findings. It will indicate the health violations if any. More importantly, it will indicate how long the landlord has to do the necessary repairs. This report will be sent to the landlord. |
| Wait for the landlord to fix the issue. | In most cases, the property manager will comply. Once complied with, he will contact the health department and schedule a re-inspection. |
| Conduct a re-inspection. | The health inspector will visit to do another inspection. He will ensure that the necessary repairs have been done to correct the violations. |
| Issue a letter of compliance if the inspection proves that he has complied. | This letter is proof that the property manager has complied with the demands for repairs. If not complied with, the health department will issue a fine. |
Can I Sue?
If all else fails, it seems that your only option remaining is to sue your landlord. Can you do it? Is it a good idea to do so?
Yes, you can. The law protects those who need protection. In this case, you can sue your landlord if you’re certain that he has violated laws that cover landlord-tenant relations.
You have to understand that this will require a lot of your time and money. You’d have to hire an attorney to help you present your case before a judge. Your lawyer can also help determine if this is a case worthy of pursuing.
You also have to know that there’s a very good chance that your landlord will fight this. A property manager who doesn’t want to cooperate is likely to continue fighting. You have to make sure that suing him is worth it.
First, you have to make sure that you have a legit issue. The list above will tell you whether it is or not. Make sure that you’ve gone through the right process so that the judge will see that you have been willing to work things out. It’s your property manager that’s uncooperative.
Also, make sure that the property you’re renting is worth fighting for. Sure, you can fight the good fight for oppressed tenants everywhere. It might be better to file a complaint and move if things don’t progress for practical reasons.
How Long do they have to Fix a Mold Problem?
While it’s true that laws regarding their responsibility are not clear, they can be generally held responsible by the governing state. You can check the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the contact details of the health and environmental agency in your state. Ask them for more details.
The best way to know for sure is to tell him about the problem, and he should schedule immediate mold removal. If not, you can call the health department for an inspection. They will include how many days the landlord has to fix a mold problem in their report.
Can I Break My Lease because of Roaches?
Yes, you may. It’s always good to work it out first with the property manager. You can let him know of the problem, and a good property manager will hire a pest control company and pay for it. If they don’t, then they violate the lease. They’re the ones who broke the lease because of the warranty of habitability. In this case, you can move out without worrying about you breaking the lease.
Of course, most tenants wouldn’t want to move especially if they’re in a good property. In the case of an uncooperative landlord, you can call the health department for assistance.
