Holding Landlords Accountable for Hazardous Mold

 Posted on December 20, 2023 in Real Estate

Finding toxic mold growing in rental units is one of the most common disputes that tenants come forward with. It is not uncommon for a landlord to paint over mold to try and cover it up. If you discover your landlord knowingly covered up mold hazards, you should know that you have legal rights to fight back. A Texas real estate attorney can help you assemble your case with the proper evidence to seek justice.

Prove That Your Landlord Was Aware of the Mold

You will need to prove that your Texas landlord knew of underlying mold issues beforehand through prior mitigation company reports, previous tenant complaints and settlements, or direct maintenance requests. These documents should show deliberate efforts to downplay dangers instead of fixing hazards. Providing photo evidence confirming unsafe concealments or attempted do-it-yourself treatments rather than expert mold remediation strengthens claims against aesthetic cover-ups threatening your health.

Show Medical Documentation

Medical records specifying exposure-related diagnoses, like asthma or respiratory infections, help demonstrate tangible harms from landlords’ purposeful mold nondisclosures and neglect. Injury claims falter without showing adverse health connections to scientifically proven hazardous conditions. Make sure you get physician statements drawing a correlation between reported tenant symptoms and mold-caused illness types. Also, it accounts for mental health effects like anxiety or depression from losing safe shelter necessities.

Demand Accountability

Armed with documentation displaying intentional landlord neglect, affected tenants retain power, demanding improved habitability and compensation through lawsuits. First, send demand letters threatening litigation unless receiving adequate temporary relocations and permanent mold remediations meeting lawful compliance. If landlords resist reasonably addressing concerns, you can file premises liability lawsuits in civil court alleging failure to uphold safety maintenance duties. Relentless pressure from you and your lawyer can push settlement talks so you can finally seek justice. It is not guaranteed, but in some cases, it does help. Hold deceitful property owners fully accountable by immediately asserting these rights alongside experienced counsel fighting for proper housing. When presented with solid evidence supporting negligence claims, tenants maintain more power than they realize.

Contact a Wilson County, TX Real Estate Lawyer

 If you are a tenant and know that your landlord covered up mold without addressing the issue, you may have a case. Working with a San Antonio, TX real estate attorney and reviewing the evidence can help build your side of the story. Call Geoff Mayfield, Attorney at Law at 210-535-0870 for a free consultation.