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Request for Ideas in Taking Action Against Previous Landlord

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mmcdonne

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Iowa

I am currently a student living in Iowa City and last year, I rented a house from a landlord who owned a myriad of properties in the area. My experiences while living in this house were horrific; apparently, other students who have rented from this specific landlord have encountered similar problems and wish to voice their concerns to anyone who will listen.

This landlord failed to take action after several of my attempts of reaching him via email and telephone due to:
1. an infestation of ****roaches and centipedes in the basement
2. remaining paint, tools, etc. left behind in the living room for 5 months after repair crews worked on the exterior of the house
3. a handful of much needed repairs that were recorded by the tenants in a document requested to be filled out at the beginning of the lease
4. a contamination of highly dangerous black spot mold growing in the bedroom of one of the tenants


Looking back, I sincerely regret not taking action sooner against what I endured in my process of renting this property. Does anyone know of anywhere (specifically in Iowa City or Iowa) that I could go to possibly report this landlord and (hopefully) raise awareness about his lack of concern and poor conduct? Will any action taken against this man outside of legal action make any impact? I have been told that fighting landlords in college towns (especially in Iowa City) prove usually futile.
Thank you all very much!
 


Hot Topic

Senior Member
Couldn't have been too bad or you wouldn't have let a year pass before deciding that you needed to take action against the landlord. Couldn't have been too bad for the other students or they would have taken action, and since you don't mention anything, it can be assumed that they didn't.

You should have sent a certified letter, return receipt requested with your complaints in order to have a paper trail to prove he was aware of them. You can show on a 'phone bill that you called him, but how are you going to prove that you called about the insects and everything else?

How did you know the mold was dangerous? Did you have a company that specializes in mold remediation check it out, or did you buy one of the (worthless) kits sold at hardware stores?
 

mmcdonne

Junior Member
I did not take action because I did not know where to go, which is why I'm asking on this board....
Also, black spot mold is dangerous. How do I know? My mother is a nurse, and my uncle is a doctor. He diagnosed me with bronchial asthma (most likely, he believes, from the black..spot..mold...) right after I left the house and came back to my family home.
 
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ecmst12

Senior Member
Idea: move on, because there is nothing to do about a place you no longer live in. Learn your rights so the NEXT time you are living somewhere with a lawbreaking landlord, you know what actions to take.
 

mmcdonne

Junior Member
There's no civil engagement or any other community awareness organization that you know of that will help just get the word out about this guy?? Thank you very much for your advice; I appreciate any help I can get!!
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
If this is a large landlord in a college town, you can bet the regulatory agencies already know allll about him.
 

csi7

Senior Member
You can report the mold to the state health environmental section. You can also report it to the state attorney general office for future reference.
 

MAT555

Junior Member
If it was me, I'd forget about getting back at the landlord at this point, but I sure as heck would contact the NEW tenants and let them know that if the mold (issue) is still relevant and obvious that you strongly suggest they report it to the local Board of Health, who will advise them what other steps to take after that.

They can then tell the landlord themselves that the mold issue MUST be taken care of immediately and permanently. Hopefully this will prevent others from putting money into the LL's pocket when he does nothing to assure THEIR health and safety while on his property.
 

Gail in Georgia

Senior Member
Does the OP have actual PROOF (through accurate testing) that what they claim is "highly dangerous black spot mold" is actually Stachybotrys chartarum?

Gail
 

Searchertwin

Senior Member
I did not take action because I did not know where to go, which is why I'm asking on this board....
Also, black spot mold is dangerous. How do I know? My mother is a nurse, and my uncle is a doctor. He diagnosed me with bronchial asthma (most likely, he believes, from the black..spot..mold...) right after I left the house and came back to my family home.
Your uncle cannot prove that mold is dangerous..you even said it yourself..you stated, "MOST LIKELY, HE BELIEVES, "
Another thing, "There are no Federal laws that set limits or standards as to what types or levels of mold exposure or of mold presence is healthy or unhealthy, or as to what levels or types of mold are allowed or not allowed indoors.
Mold will always be found in testing. It is everywhere and there will always be some level of mold. Even after testing, the solution remains the same, "control the moisture, control the mold."
The only thing the health dept. can do is look and suggest ways to handle the mold. But you can do it to, a combination of purex and water. Simple. But a lot of tenants would much rather cry mold than to take care of it themselves.
 

Searchertwin

Senior Member
If it was me, I'd forget about getting back at the landlord at this point, but I sure as heck would contact the NEW tenants and let them know that if the mold (issue) is still relevant and obvious that you strongly suggest they report it to the local Board of Health, who will advise them what other steps to take after that.

They can then tell the landlord themselves that the mold issue MUST be taken care of immediately and permanently. Hopefully this will prevent others from putting money into the LL's pocket when he does nothing to assure THEIR health and safety while on his property.
The LL can tell the tenants to take care of the mold. If it wasn't there at time of signing lease, than the tenants are responsible. Do you think the LL came daily or weekly and took hot showers? Or did LL came and shut all the windows in the basement to cause the moisture? While I put the money in my pocket do you think the tenants took into consideration that when I came to collect rent that THEY didn't think of MY health and safety while I was at the door breathing in??????:eek:
 

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