I hate my apartment. Since the first day we moved in, it has plagued us with problems: a dishwasher that makes everything come out dirtier than when it went in; a rotting fridge replaced by a rusting one; a small washing machine that doesn’t always drain and barely cleans; heating vents that either overheat some rooms or stop working in others; leaking light fixtures near electrical wiring. The rodents living in the closets that piggyback on our rent are multiplying faster than my cat can play with them to death. The upstairs neighbours, who play such extreme sports as bi-monthly over-the-balcony garbage launching and midnight stairwell bowling, are cranking their terrible bass-ridden music even louder at night. But the worst offender is the mold festering behind the walls that can no longer be held back by the drywall. It is growing rapidly across the ceiling and making everything smell foul. Ignored (by the landlord) water trickling has turned into bubbling paint and damp drywall, which is now evolving into expanding fuzzy patches that make the whole place reek. I can’t wait to move into my brand new shiny apartment at the end of the month, with working appliances and breathable air. I can barely fathom the concept of living healthy in my own home, but it is something I look forward to.
What bothers me the most, however, is…
that the landlords are just going to slap a coat of paint over everything—mold and all—and rent it out to another set of unsuspecting renters the day after we move out. We’ve given them ample opportunity to fix the issues since we’ve noticed them (a year ago), but they know that if they were to dig around, the whole building would fall apart. It would cost them a pretty penny to fix the problem, so why bother when it’s easier to hide them and hope they can get a few more rent checks out of the new tenants before they realize they’re living in a toxic dump? We can file a complaint with the Tenancy Board, but it’s too late for us for it to make a difference. How many renters are unknowingly living in dangerous environments? How many lives are going to be—and should be for their own health—disrupted by being forced to move out until their homes are clean?
How many people are suffering and not saying anything out of fear of reprisal because they don’t realize they have renters’ rights? How many other landlords are getting away with cutting corners at the renters’ expense in order to save some profit dollars? When or how are living conditions in Halifax going to improve? Especially considering the money we’re forking out for these terrible shelters over our heads.
—Gas-Masked
This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2009.
You can start by using paragraphs, then maybe people would listen to you.
Leave. You can probably use those points as an excuse under the renters act to gtfo.
I can only read in paragraphs
Living with mold is extremely dangerous, it will make you sick and kill you because it doesn’t want to share living space with any living organism. If I were you, I would not spend any length of time in a room with mold.
You should definitly inform the new tenants, in fact, if you don’t inform them you will be doing them and society in general a huge disservice, as they might get sick and transmit their sicknesses to other people.
If you don’t be proactive about this situation, you are no better than your landlord.
Honestly my answer to this is find a new place its shitty but it will solve your problem.
Dartmouth is healla cheap and has some hella nice places
And you didn’t notice the rats, mold and whatever when you looked at it, not to mention the shape of the appliances?
I love it when people chack places and maybe stay 5-10 minutes and decide to rent. People these places are going to be your homes for a while. Check them out when it’s raining or snowing. Go back several times at different times of the day and night to see what’s going on. Take a walk through the building, notice the cleanliness and smell eminating out of other units. A little reseach will save you a lot of grief.
Hey Tim, that good advice, but not everyone has time to do that. My advice to the OP— call the Tenant’s board, then when you get the requisite bullshit answer from them, go to the health board and make it a health issue. The health board has way more power and they can impose strict time lines to repair the damage and remove the mould. It won’t resolve the issue of the bad neighbours, but baby steps, eh?
Get your fucking camera out and record all this shit – put it on a CD, then go to the Residential Tenancies Board – if that doesn’t work, go to the Department of Health. You should not be living with these appalling conditions.
P.S. If you have no luck with the government, you can always call the chronically horrid, the metro bite-sized news or the local TV news.
I had a problem with mould four years ago while renting, I called HRM 490-4000 and they directed me to the appropriate person to make a formal complaint, told them my story and received a complaint number. I can’t remember exactly the name of the department I was put through though which is frustrating because I would like to help.
During the call the person I spoke to who was handling my complaint was quite ready to take action and attend at my property and do an inspection, and then I felt a little guilty about siccing the HRM on the landlord so being a softy I told the HRM that I would speak to my landlord one more time and tell them HRM was ready to come out and inspect for toxic mould and I had a complaint number.
WELL after hearing that news my landlord was a little snitty but said they would “see what they could do” Then, said landlord had contractors in SO fast to tear it all apart and put in new drywall my head spun (this is after approximately one year of written requests for them to repair the drywall as I had a huge hole in my ceiling from a leaky pipe above. When a big clump of mould and wet drywall hit my floor and exposed what was up there I panicked and started making calls). This may work for you.
Also, it should be around $26 to file a complaint with residential tenancies. What do you MEAN it’s too late for you to do anything about this. Are you serious? Please realize you will take the mould with you when you go as the spores are now in your sofa, upholstered furniture and clothing and curtains. Keep records of everything, photograph the mold up close and sue them for the things you have to throw out.
Here’s a link referencing removal of items from a contaminated site to avoid transfer of spores:
http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelea…
“How many people are suffering and not saying anything out of fear of reprisal because they don’t realize they have renters’ rights?”
umm you also typed this
“We can file a complaint with the Tenancy Board, but it’s too late for us for it to make a difference. “
you didn’t file with the tenancy board, you are one of these people that are not exercising your rights! Get on that. The laws are there for this exact situation.
Jeeze, did you see the place before renting it? Some of these things seem… a little hard to miss.
I agree with Bro Tim. I rented a larger unit in my current building. My previous unit was BEAUTIFUL — immaculate shape when I moved in, and I kept it that way.
I figured the new unit would be cared for in the same way. Oh how wrong I was. This unit was rode hard and put away fucking wet thanks to three little kids who’s parents were SO AWESOME at parenting that they figured it was OK for their kids to draw on the walls with crayon and marker, among many other things. Now, it’s not a dump, it’s still a great unit, but it shows some wear which my former unit didn’t. I HAD looked at the unit before I decided to take it, but not close enough, I don’t think — there were a lot of little things I missed. Little things that now bug me (like the yellowed tile grout in the bathroom — minor, I know, but still annoying given my OCD tendencies towards sparkling clean bathroom shower tiles :P).
Anyway, if at all possible look closely at the units you are intending to rent. Problems such as the OP’s are pretty big issues that probably could’ve been found out upon further inspection. As well, the common areas of the building (hall ways, front entrance) and the shape of the exterior of the building will all give you clues as to the efficiency of the property’s management team.
Bro Tim, have you ever gone apartment/house hunting? Go back three times in all types of weather? Who the fuck does that? Even if I had the time and energy, the people currently living there would be ready to strangle you.
I just signed a lease for September 1st – I looked at the house once and am almost certain it’s gonna be great. Did I dig around in every nook and cranny with my moisture meter and rat shit detector? No. I can tell a shithole when I see it (although that hasn’t always been the case). Plus, the landlord is an actual landlord who is willing to spend money to save money – something most “recreational” landlords don’t do.
Jane, where do you mean has hella good price and hella nice places in Dartmouth?
Having being retired from the military, ah duh, rented many a place and bought a house. Yes I have gone back and did some research first. Remember the 6 Ps. Proper preparatation prevents piss poor performance.
Killam Properties is bad for that. I live in a unit with mold in my bathroom, my place needs paint..my living room ceiling was leaking into the back of my tv..my bedroom was leaking into an electical socket. My carpet needed replacing and I had to take them to the board in order to do that..it’s just insane
Props to my landlords, they’re pretty awesome at fixing things. The location is great, the rent is cheap ($525!), and if I need something fixed, I just have to write a letter and it’s done the next day. The bedroom carpet was replaced the day I moved in, and I was given a choice of paint colours for the walls. Thanks, guys, for helping me realize how good I have it!