In many ways, renters are at the mercy of their landlords, even the best of whom will sometimes cut corners to save a buck or two.
One Redditor found out how dangerous that can be when they had massive amounts of water and mold in their home. Instead of fixing the problem at its source, they said their landlord patched over it with some drywall tape.
The Redditor posted pictures of the before and after, commenting sarcastically that: "Some paint and a bit of tape will fix it no problem!"
This is likely still a dangerous situation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that mold can cause a few health problems, including allergies, asthma attacks, and general whole-body irritation.
The EPA also notes that you need to address mold problems properly and fast, so the mold doesn't have a chance to continue growing or spreading. Clearly, this landlord didn't follow that protocol.
It probably shouldn't come as a surprise. Landlords, like homeowners associations, are known for taking stances against eco-friendly changes — everything from gardening to tenants hanging their clothes outside to dry. RentPrep notes that both parties often need to make compromises to implement these changes.
If you don't feel safe in your home because of choices your landlord has made or if they are preventing you from making changes that are important to you, talk to them. You can use some of the same techniques that people use to change their HOA bylaws to convince your landlord. After all, you aren't the first person to suffer because their landlord tried to cut corners or ran a scam, and you won't be the last.
As for the person who posted on Reddit, commenters agreed that the landlord had made an egregious mistake. "Molds like this are horrifically dangerous for you," one said.
Another added: "Black mold‽ Huge health risk. I think you could sue, depending on where this is." Clearly, it's time for this person to take some action against their landlord for their own health and safety.
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🔘 Yes — but only sometimes 😕
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🔘 No — I never do 😌
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