Who Is Responsible For Mold Cleaning In Your NYC Apartment Building

9/23/2024 (Permalink)

Mold growth on apartment building walls can be difficult to deal with

Mold growth is a fairly common issue for residential and commercial properties throughout New York City. Excess moisture in the air mixed with dark and warm areas of a property can lead to mold growth. A common question among renters in all five boroughs is whether it is their responsibility or their landlords to look into mold removal and remediation services. Here in New York City, your landlord is required to take some steps to eliminate visible mold as well as the root causes of mold (leaks, ventilation issues, etc). In this article, we will cover what to do if you have mold in your apartment. For mold remediation and removal services in Manhattan, you can rely on SERVPRO of the Lower East Side for our mold and water damage cleanup services.

What Responsibilities Does My NYC Landlord Have Regarding Mold?

First and foremost, check your lease. When you rent an apartment in NYC there are often multiple pages of your lease about your responsibilities and your landlord’s responsibilities regarding all types of damage and issues. These pages of your lease will often outline the specifics of how to report issues to your landlord. Another thing to understand is the different classes of mold.

• Class A Mold: Class A mold takes up less than 10 square feet.
• Class B Mold: Class B mold takes up more than 10 square feet but less than 30 square feet. This is considered hazardous and usually requires landlords to handle it quicker than Class A.
• Class C Mold: Class C is considered “immediately hazardous: and involves mold that spans more than 30 square feet of space. This requires immediate cleanup and remediation.

How Do I Report Mold In My Manhattan Apartment?

If you notice mold in your apartment unit or in a common shared area around your apartment building you should get in touch with your landlord, super, or other property manager. After reporting the problem you may need to schedule a meeting with your landlord and/or third parties where they can access your unit and provide an inspection. If your landlord or property manager fails to make repairs or is unresponsive you can call 311 and report a “housing maintenance issue”. A housing maintenance issue will lead to an inspection from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (also known as the HPD), who will come to your property.

Mold Cleanup & Remediation Services in Manhattan

SERVPRO of the Lower East Side provides mold remediation services as well as services that can help prevent mold growth including emergency water damage cleanup. If you own or manage a property in Manhattan that has issues with excess moisture, mold growth, or water damage, do not hesitate to call our team for help.